Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

USA: Street Harasser Shoots Into Women’s Shelter

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Kathleen Moyer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, Past SSH Blog Correspondent

On Thursday, one Philadelphia man showed just how much street harassment can escalate, just how entitled some people feel to other’s bodies, and just how little regard some have for women’s lives.

Police are currently searching for a man who fired shots into a North Philadelphia women’s shelter Thursday afternoon.

According to investigators, the unidentified man approached a woman outside a Rite Aid and attempted to speak to her. When she refused, he followed her into the store and trailed her as she shopped. When the woman was finished shopping, she began to walk back to the women’s shelter where she lives and noticed that the man was still following her. Shortly after she entered the shelter, surveillance footage shows the man standing outside, then pulling a gun out of his pants and firing several shots into the building.

Fortunately, no one was hurt.

This case shows that street harassment truly is a heinous act. Some people may dismiss it as a way of complimenting someone or guys just joking around, but it’s not. It goes much deeper than that. Think about what must have gone through that man’s head for him to get to the point where he was motivated to potentially kill people because a woman didn’t want to talk to him. He didn’t see a woman outside that Rite Aid; he saw an object he was entitled to conquer. When he failed, his pride was hurt so much that he felt the need to stalk her, instill fear in her, and assert his dominance over her. Then, when she finally got to safety, in a building filled with women who had possibly been treated like objects by other men with the same mentality, he decided that she didn’t deserve to live. None of the women, who were presumably safe, deserved to live. Even if the shots were only intended to be a threat, he knew very well that he could end up killing someone and he decided that was a fair outcome. Why? Because a woman didn’t want to talk to him.

Street harassment is not flattering, it’s not funny, and it’s not a trivial problem. Street harassment kills, and it’s time to acknowledge that horrifying fact. Luckily, no one died in this case, but far too many people have been killed as a result of street harassment. Someone who was stalked and shot at should not be considered lucky, because at least she’s still alive. It’s time for society to start addressing street harassment like the serious issue it is, so no other person has to endure what this woman did, and so no one dies in such a senseless way in the future.

No arrest has been made in this case yet. Anyone with tips should contact the Philadelphia Police Department.

Kathleen is a full-time graduate student studying professional and business communication. She plans initiatives to increase awareness of sexual assault, domestic violence, and other related issues through her university’s anti-sexual violence group, Explorers Against Sexual Violence.

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“Hey, I don’t like being treated that way and I want you to stop”

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Standing by the traffic light on my local college campus, I heard a loud scream behind me and whirled around to see two guys in a pickup. It was so random that I couldn’t think what to do–but next time I’d just go over and say, “Hey, I don’t like being treated that way and I want you to stop.” I don’t think it would actually stop them, but it would break the cycle where one person hurts another on purpose and nobody says anything.

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

Having websites like this is a great start. But I think it really starts at home. If kids learn by example that respect doesn’t involve fear or violence, and that safe spaces are “the norm” while attacking people–including verbally and emotionally–is socially damaging in a real and long-lasting way, they won’t grow think it’s funny, cool, impressive, or harmless to make random gestures of aggression at strangers. Obviously nobody taught these guys using that kind of example, so they’ll have to figure it out for themselves.

– Anonymous

Location: Chapel Hill, NC

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more ideas.

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Afghanistan and Canadian Efforts

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HarassMapAfghanistanAfghanistan:

Check out the new HarassMap campaign in Afghanistan where people in the country can share their street harassment experiences.

Canada:

Via CBC:

“With the Calgary Stampede just a week away, a social media campaign using the hashtag #SafeStampede is gearing up.

Organizers say they want to spark a conversation about sexual harassment, consent and respectful behaviour.
 
“I think changing attitudes is what’s going to change behaviour,” said Elizabeth Booth, one of the community advocates who started using the hashtag during last year’s event.
 
A lifelong Calgarian, Booth says she loves the Stampede, but she sees a dark side to the debauchery.
 
“There’s a lot of alcohol and just this long-standing tradition that it’s a time to misbehave,” she said.”
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“Are you really not ashamed at all?”

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I was wearing shorts, a little above my knee length, and coming back from college that day. It was a hellish experience so I wrote this:

Those eyes,
When they move,
Don’t you know I see them?

I see them as they plunder my legs,
And slowly,
my whole body.

My body is mine.
“MINE!,” rings a bell?!

Those eyes,
Shameless, lustful,
Can you look at you with those same eyes?

Those same eyes,
That same face,
Are you really not ashamed at all??

Just so you know,
I see them.

Don’t you know?
I see them.

I see them
And I’m furious.

– Adishi

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

I believe there is a desperate need for more women to reclaim public spaces and fight against the “Why are you here?” stares that we get.

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more ideas.

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Plane Assaulters & Perv Busters

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First, I cannot even believe that a SECOND man was arrested this month for groping a teenage girl seated next to him on an airplane.

An Alaska Airlines flight from Portland to Anchorage was recently diverted to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport mid-flight. A 23-year-old man allegedly repeatedly groped a 16-year-old girl seated next to him. Another man in their row intervened and alerted the flight attendant who then notified the pilot. The pilot diverted the plane and the assailant was arrested in Seattle.

In a similar incident this month, a man groped a 13-year-old girl seated beside him on an American Airlines flight. The flight attendant saw it and moved her and he was arrested at the airport.

What is wrong with these men?? I’m angered by their predatory behavior and blatant disregard for the feelings and bodily autonomy of the girls. And I’m grateful for the bystanders on the planes who took action to stop the abuse.

But in better news, I am loving the new “Perv Busters” effort that launched last week in New York City. We need a similar effort in every community!

Perv Busters - photo by Matthew McDerrmott, via NY Post
Perv Busters – photo by Matthew McDerrmott, via NY Post

Via the New York Post:

“Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa…was training an all- ­female group called the Perv Busters. Their mission: Finding and shaming subway perverts.

“You know the signs that say, ‘See something, say something’? Well, we’re doing something,” said Sliwa, 62, who founded the Guardian Angels in 1979.

After the MTA backed out of a plan to deploy eight MTA cops to battle a recent surge in subway sex crimes, Sliwa decided to take matters into his own hands.

“I’ve got eight girls doing what the transit cops apparently can’t do,” he said.

His crew gathered at Columbus Circle at 8 p.m. Friday for their first night of prowling for “weenie ­wavers.” …

“We all know what it’s like to be harassed and followed. But you don’t have the right to complain if you don’t do anything about it,”
she said.

The team’s youngest member, 13-year-old Veronica Pagan, is a third-generation Guardian Angelette. She sported her grandmother’s beret.

“I joined because I wanted to make them proud, but I also did it for myself. I want to show guys that we are not weak, we can step up just the same,” Pagan said.

After a demonstration on how to handcuff, the girls lined up in formation on the subway platform.

Silwa ordered everyone to board, break off into pairs and stand in the doorways on lookout.

“The first thing we have to work on is the look. If you’re standing there all smiley, people won’t take you seriously,” Sliwa said.

Sliwa then instructed the Angels to hand out the official Perv ­Busters flier.

Rider Daniel Martinez, 33, was excited that the Angels were back, and asked Sliwa how to join.

“I just think it’s beautiful. It’s about time that we see women step up and be warriors. We need more Joan of Arcs in our city,” Pagan said.

 

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