Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Street Respect: Grocery store kindness

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This is part of the Monday series “Street Respect. “Street respect” is the term for respectful, polite, and consensual interactions that happen between strangers in public spaces. It’s the opposite of “street harassment.” Share your street respect story and show the kind of interactions you’d like to have in public in place of street harassment.

I’m 31 and have experienced awful street harassment in the past. I was at the checkout stand late one recent evening at a supermarket, the kind of store where you pack your own groceries. As I was paying the cashier, I turned and saw two young men quietly packing my groceries. No creepy looks, no winks, no leering — just a kind deed. I thanked them with a smile, and they told me, “You’re welcome.” And that was it.

I smiled as I left, because it reminded me that there are decent, respectful people in the world.

– SB

Location: Visalia, CA

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Street Respect: Construction workers who work instead of harass

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This is part of the Monday series “Street Respect. “Street respect” is the term for respectful, polite, and consensual interactions that happen between strangers in public spaces. It’s the opposite of “street harassment.” Share your street respect story and show the kind of interactions you’d like to have in public in place of street harassment.

There are four construction sites within a two block radius of my house. As you know, that leaves plenty of opportunity for being harassed. I must say, though, that these particular crews of men don’t resort to the usual staring, whistling and commenting that women within their sights tend to experience, despite the fact that three of these sites are right by the local gym and scores of women in shorts and form fitting workout gear pass them by daily.

Kudos and much respect to these men for acting like mature, polite, well raised men. As the women walk by, there may be an occasional glance or two, but no more…. there’s no extended leer or stare. They keep their attention more focused on the job at hand. No whistles, no lewd comments…if there’s anything, it’s just a quick smile. Bravo!

Other construction crews could learn from these guys!! They should give a class on how to behave when you’re in someone else’s neighborhood working, seriously! Anyhow, I just wanted to shed light on these four crews working in my hood being respectful of all who pass and not creating an uncomfortable climate, unlike others have in the past. It’s refreshing and much appreciated! 😉

– Yvonne

Location: 30th Ave and 38th St. in Astoria, Queens, New York

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“I had put up with stares and harrassment all my life in my own neighborhood”

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I am 20 years old. I was waiting for the train on 59th street in NYC and rubbing my eye because it was dry, when a middle aged man approached me and leered at me. He said, “Don’t cry baby,” flirtatiously, moving close. I gave him a dirty look and raised my voice, declaring, “Nobody’s crying. And don’t call me baby, I am NOT your baby.”

I moved away from him and everyone was staring at him (and at me). But at that point, I didn’t care. I had put up with stares and harrassment all my life in my own neighborhood and couldn’t even commute without the daily dose of harrassing behavior, including from a guy who sat next to me in an empty train car and told me to take my headphones off because it was “against the law” according to him, since he wished to speak to me.

I am sick of that sense of entitlement that some harrassers have towards women. I DON’T owe you anything, and you need to st op invading my space.

– SA

Location: 59th street & Lexington train station, NYC

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“I want it to stop for all women”

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Yes, indeed, I have a vagina, but I do not need to be constantly reminded of it.

I am a woman. I have been living in Barcelona for 10 years and nearly every day I am harassed by men. Nearly every day, as I go about my daily business, I endure leering, cat calls, whistles, honking, kisses, lewd slurping noises and sexually explicit gestures with the fingers, tongues, hands. This is all unpleasant enough if it weren’t often accompanied by sexual remarks about my body, breasts, and genitalia, offers of sex and other sexual acts, or lascivious details about what the sexual encounter would entail. Sometimes there is unsolicited physical contact, other times the harasser exposes himself or masturbates. The harassment occurs nearly anywhere and at any time of the day. The harassers are of all ages (pubescent boys to aged men) and races (white Catalan/Spanish, South American, Middle Eastern, but interestingly NEVER black). The harassers are ALWAYS male.

I am a woman and I am harassed by men on a daily basis. It never happens when I am accompanied by another male. But it does happen when I am accompanied by my young daughter.

I am a woman and I am harassed. I want it to stop. I want it to stop for me and I want it to stop for my daughter and I want it to stop for all women. We women deserve to be free to live our lives in peace.

I am a woman. I am harassed. I am tired of living a life being harassed by men.

– Anonymous

Location: Barcelona, Spain

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Sexism in Movies

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I am writing in to tell you what I think of movies which sexualise women. Yesterday I watched a movie called “Grown ups”. It was supposed to be a comedy, yes some parts were funny. But I noticed there was some sexism in it too. And when putting it all together, I don’t think the movie sends a good message out to young men. (or women)

Heres what I noticed. In one scene, two men are talking and the one man asks the other man if the woman by the car is his nanny. The other man denys she is, claiming she is just “someone his wife knows” who is staying at their home.Then the other man said, “Your wife’s into chicks? Nice.”

Another scene later on in the movie features two young women (possibly teenagers) whom look like super models. Both are skinny with perfectly toned bodies, flawless skin, beautiful hair etc. Then theres a third girl who looks different, sslightly bigger in size, plainer but still pretty. However, the third girl is painted as unattractive whist the other two are “hot” and are sexually objectified by the men in the movie.

Theres also a child in the movie whom keeps mentioning “boobies,” which I felt was inappropiate for his age.

I generally felt that these scenes in the movie were sexist and rather degarding towards women. I particularly disliked how the two “hot” women were deemed as sexually appealing but the third girl was “fugly”. I feel that this gives out a message that all women should have super model looks otherwise you are not socially accepted. The movie also gives out an example that women are sexual objects to be enjoyed by men. I know there are lot’s of movies with sexism towards women but I just wanted to have my say on this one.

– Clarice

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