So an update on the whole Planet Fitness harassment incident in Illinois—but first the recap:

On Dec. 4, I was a first time guest of the Elmwood Park, IL Planet Fitness where I became the victim of sexual harassment! My photo was taken by a pervert, now identified as Peter Demopoulos of Elmwood Park, with a flash film camera! While sneaking and hiding behind the building’s columns no less!

After alerting staff, Mr. Demopoulos ran to the locker room and hid the film camera. Upon re-entering the gym area, he spoke to staff claiming only the use of a cell phone camera to take photos of the facility. They did not confiscate either device and did not kick him out—even though you CAN be kicked out for slamming down weights while you work-out. Or breathing too hard. Yes, I’m serious…as seen in the news story here.

Here’s the Update: It took FIVE calls with management to have his membership pulled from the Elmwood location. But I wanted to make sure that this couldn’t happen to anyone else or myself again! So I asked for Mr. Demopoulos to be banned from any location within 25 miles, for Planet Fitness to form a zero tolerance harassment policy and train their staff on it, to be notified of disciplinary action taken against employees that did not kick out the offender, and to be allowed access to the video footage they had of the incident.

The VP of Operations (corporate), Bill Mulleady banned him from the other locations—and ignored all my other requests—even though over the phone he said someone should ‘definitely be disciplined or fired’ and that he would give me a copy of their current harassment policy and check on the video tapes. After DAYS of hearing nothing, I emailed him and he said he would call on Dec 19th—which came and went. When I sent an email blasting them for ignoring me—he said my requests were ‘unreasonable’!

This to me says they do not really have a harassment policy, and that there is something on those tapes they do not want me to see! I’m currently trying to contact major news outlets and seeing if I can get my hands on a lawyer that can request the videos! THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE WELL-BEING OF THEIR MEMBERS OR GUESTS AND ARE HIDING SOMETHING!

I REFUSE to be scared or intimidated. And I REFUSE to stand by businesses that are supposed to protect me ALLOW me to be scared or intimidated. And I won’t let them allow anyone else to feel that way either. Planet Fitness members and guests DESERVE BETTER.

– Earth Angel

Location: Elmwood Park, Ilinois

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I was walking to a CVS in my neighborhood and walked past a man who looked unkempt and was leaning on a railing next to the store. I avoided eye contact and as I walked towards him he yelled, “Why you teasing me like that?” “Why you teasing me like that?” And he shook his entire body (like he was cold) to illustrate his point. Mind you, I was wearing a black winter coat, a sweatshirt, and jeans. This man just wanted to harass me for no reason.

I just ignored him and did not respond. Minutes later when I exited the store, I went the opposite way from which I had came in order to avoid the man. Even then, I knew he was waiting for me to come out, because he called to me even as I was walking in the opposite direction.

I was so frustrated that I went online looking for ways to deal to street harassment and I found this website. I’ve been street harassed numerous times and I’m never quite sure how to respond for fear that the person might retaliate. However after reading some stories on the site, I’ll try to use some of the suggestions I saw on here.

No woman deserves to be harassed under any circumstance.

– Anonymous

Location: 4555 Wisconsin Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016

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Though this happened a few months ago, it is my hope that by posting this story, I can alert someone else if this person happens to still be in NYC & still harassing women.

This was during the summer months, as I was still wearing shorts. He was a tall, thin white male, 20s-30s, with a blond crew cut. He was carrying a gym back & was in workout clothes. He could very well have been one of the military types or a skinhead.

It was about the early evening, around 7:30 p.m. as I was on my way to the theater to see a show. The train was crowded.

He took every opportunity to rub his hairy blond leg against mine. And even when I got off, he still spread his leg to try to cop one last feel. I dodged him successfully, but still ran into some of the other people in my attempt to get away from him.

Still shaken by what happened, I wasn’t sure if I should report him or not. So I circled the station & finally went to the MTA booth to report him. I waited 20 minutes until the police came & described the guy. The police couldn’t do anything because “no crime was committed.”

I don’t know if he was caught, but in case this guy is still out there, please be aware & continue to report him. The law shields perverts like him, and he probably knew what he could get away with.

As I am a petite Asian female, I don’t know if this guy thought he could get away with this because he thought I’d find it flattering, but whatever, men like him need to be stopped. Though I was not as bold as I wished I could be, I hope someone else can take courage from my story and serve this guy some good ol’ vigilante justice, especially if the NYPD can’t do anything.

– Anonymous

Location: New York City 50th Street station on the 1 train line

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I am 31 years old. For the past 13 years of my life I have endured street harassment from male strangers whenever I am in public alone. Over the years it adds up to hundreds upon hundreds of men who believe they have the right to do it and enjoy it.

One of the more memorable incidents was being followed closely by a group of four men in the middle of the day. They were loudly making sexual comments about my body. They kept following me until I angrily turned around and told them to fuck off.

I kept walking, shaking with rage and went into a book store to calm down a little and center myself again. Five minutes later one of them appears at the door of the shop, threatening to beat me. I refused to pay him attention so he walked up to me in the store and circled around me, telling me to “get my boyfriend down here” so he can beat him. At this point the shop owner told him to get out or she would call the police. He eventually left.

Male strangers have come up to me on the street asking to fuck me. If I stand up for myself and tell them where to go, there are two reactions. 1) They either hurl abuse at me, calling me a bitch or a cunt, or 2) they find it amusing that I am angry.

I have large breasts and at times of desperation I have thought of binding them. Summer is the worst. I now refuse to wear short skirts no matter what the weather. One of the last times I wore a short skirt in summeran old man came up to me on the street and whispered in my ear, “You looking good babydoll”.

I loudly told him he was a piece of shit for harassing women like that.

His response? “Why did you wear that skirt then?”

I don’t quite know how to deal with it anymore. So many days I will leave the house happy and then it happens and I want to scream or cry but I can’t do anything and I feel choked with rage.

I hate how NORMAL it is, how it is part of my environment, like the weather, and I feel powerless to change it. I want to be able to leave my house without men treating me as a piece of meat, as a collection of body parts. I want to been treated as person not a body.

– Emma

Location: Launceston, Australia

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem.
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One week ago in our city, a woman was abducted while crossing from the exit of the mall to the bus stop & held at gunpoint. Her abductor dragged her to his car and drove her a few blocks away with the intention of raping her.

Luckily she was able to fight him off when he put the gun down (to unzip his pants) & she got away.

Even though it was reported on the news that evening, there was no description given of the criminal and no arrest has been made. There was also nothing regarding this in the paper the next day even though lesser crimes are listed daily.

It is frustrating that the law & the press protect rapists by not listing descriptions or showing sketches. They have no qualms releasing that information if it is a fast food joint or gas station having been robbed.

And then if a woman gets raped, they blame the victim???

This happened in broad daylight. This happened in a small city in an area considered “safe”.

– Anonymous

Location: Illinois, USA

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem.
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