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NPR Looks at Street Harassment Globally and Locally

April 9, 2016 By HKearl

What’s street harassment like around the world?

This was a question that Malaka Gharib at NPR wanted to have answered after she experienced street harassment first-hand in Egypt and the USA. I connected her to women I’d worked with, from Afghanistan to Japan, from Nepal to South Africa, and they shared their stories with her. She also kindly interviewed me and gave a shoutout to International Anti-Street Harassment Week.

The article went online on Wednesday. Here’s one story example:

India: “A growing trend is pictures being taken on mobile phones”

Women and girls are constantly stared at, groped in crowded spaces and on public transportation, catcalled, whistled and commented on regularly. A growing trend is pictures being taken on mobile phones without permission by strangers. Women and girls, through experience, either avoid certain areas, do not stay out late, limit their movements in public or wear loose clothing.

Public spaces should be safe and accessible to all, especially women and girls. It is crucial and essential if we want them to fully participate in society and the economy. If not, then choices and movements are restricted — and that in turn has a negative impact on society.

ElsaMarie D’Silva, 42, founder and managing director of Safecity

The article led to over 1000 comments to the article, on Facebook, on Twitter, and today, there’s a follow-up story highlighting some of the stories shared, from Canada to Italy to Switzerland. For example:

Switzerland: “He pushed me up against a wall”

I was 14 in Endingen, Switzerland. I was walking to school when a man working on street construction grabbed me. His friends and colleagues immediately surrounded us, laughing. He pushed me up against a wall, felt me up and tried to pin me for a kiss. The men pressed closer. I got away. I told people. I told my parents. Nobody did anything. It was kind of funny, they said, and boys will be boys. — Stephanie Nakhleh via Facebook

The amazing Noorjahan Akbar, founder of Free Women Writers, and I joined Malaka and other NPR staff in studios on Wednesday to create a Snapchat video too.

I’m so grateful to Malaka and her team for providing space for women’s stories on the huge and respected platform of NPR.

Related, the Kojo Nnamdi Show had a segment on street harassment on Monday, featuring Jessica Raven Executive Director, Collective Action for Safe Spaces, Arthur Espinoza, Jr. Executive Director, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and Brianne Nadeau Member, D.C. Council (D-Ward 1). YES!!!

100% of Women in Buenos Aires have Experienced Street Harassment

April 9, 2016 By HKearl

International Anti-Street Harassment Week officially kicks off tomorrow, but the global activism is already starting…!!

Last year, there was legislation passed in Argentina to designate an annual day against street harassment, to coincide around the time of International Anti-Street Harassment Week.

The day was yesterday and The Movement of Women of the Motherland of Latin American released a new study showing 100% of women in the City of Buenos Aires have experienced street harassment. The full survey results are available in Spanish. They include the following:

“Half the participants reported being subjected to sexually explicit comments, 59 percent reported obscene gestures, 47 percent had been followed by a man and 37 percent reported having a man’s genitalia exposed to them unasked…

87 percent reported avoiding dark or deserted streets, 63 percent won’t walk in certain areas unaccompanied and 51 percent dress in a manner that ‘doesn’t attract attention.'”

The survey is part of larger campaign launched by MuMaLá called #ParemosElAcosoCallejero (#StopStreetHarassment).

The campaigners have an up-hill battle as the country’s President once said, “All women like to be told compliments, even if if it’s something something rude like, ‘What a cute ass you have’… it’s all good,” but documenting the problem and showing the negative affects it can have is an important way to start changing public opinion.

The 7 Days of Anti-Street Harassment: A Vlog Series To Tackle The Issue

April 9, 2016 By Contributor

International Anti-Street Harassment Week is once again upon us. For the past three years, I’ve done something to take action against street harassment, from sidewalk chalking, to hosting Tweet Chats, and this year, vlogging! I wanted to create a tool that would be relevant long after the week was over, that could break down the issue, while also giving a very human perspective and voice to street harassment.

I’ve been on the board of Stop Street Harassment for almost two years now and I’m constantly both inspired by the great work we’re doing as an organization, and horrified at the gap in knowledge that still exists for so many. The question of “What is street harassment?” Has started to become less prevalent in recent years as awareness increases, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

This video series is going to focus on both of these things: the positive work of SSH and the work that still needs to be done. I wanted to be able to speak to both the common person and activists alike, including information and ideas that would be relevant to both. Together, I know we have the power to end street harassment and I hope to do my part in taking action through this video series.

You can expect to see a new video uploaded each day of International Anti-Street Harassment week to Stop Street Harassment’s YouTube channel (as well as my personal channel), so you should subscribe to see the videos pop up in your subscriptions each day. I would love to hear your perspectives, thoughts, and comments on the videos, so make sure to interact directly in the comments section of the videos, or tweet using the #EndSH hashtag and tag me @ErinMcKelle. The videos are going to cover a variety of subjects, from the findings of our 2014 national study, to easy ways to respond to street harassment, and my scariest experience of street harassment.

I’m excited to share these 7 days of International Street Harassment Week with you and hope you’ll tune in!

UPDATE: Here’s Day 1!

Erin McKelle is a SSH board member, previous blog correspondent and social media volunteer. She is a digital media consultant, writer, feminist blogger, entrepreneur, and creative evangelist. She divides her time between working as a consultant for clients ranging from startups to small non-profits, writing for popular online publications, and building her empire.

“With or without a shirt, street harassment in San Francisco is a frightening”

April 8, 2016 By Contributor

It’s legal for both men and women to be topless in San Francisco. On the rare occasion that I exercise this freedom by myself, I am met by hoards of street harassers, slut shamers, and “well-intended” warnings about how much exposed skin warrants me being raped.

In the middle of the day as I was walking home, a man followed me very closely for 5 blocks. I told him to go away, but he kept following me. I slowed down my pace. I sped up my pace. He matched it. I started recording him. Finally I decided I had no choice but to stop and scream. When I stopped in my tracks, he backed away, circled me grinning, and finally left.

With or without a shirt, street harassment in San Francisco is a frightening, day to day reality for women. But I won’t let a few slut shamers and street harassers keep my flat chest from taking in the rare San Francisco sun.

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

Encourage women to report and record harassers.

– Chelsea Ducote

Location: San Francisco, CA

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

Chalking in Ohio to Raise Awareness

April 7, 2016 By Contributor

Sarah Fick, a founding organizer of the People’s Justice League posted this last week on her Facebook page and gave me permission to share it on the SSH blog:

True story I wrote on the sidewalk earlier today. As I was taking this photo, two prim and proper looking college aged girls walked by.

Chalking in Athens, Ohio, by Sarah Fick.

One of them tossed their hair dismissively and said in a snotty tone to the other one, who was still looking at it, “That’s fake.” I’m not upset, because I have come to expect this sort of thing. I’m posting it so that folks can see how deep misogyny runs in this culture. Young women have internalized it so hard. They are taught not to believe each other, not to believe themselves even.

[On the positive side,] we also got a lot of positive comments, shared chalk with total strangers, and had a few engaged conversations about street harassment and Black Lives Matter.

People’s Justice League will be hosting sidewalk chalking in Athens, Ohio over International Anti-Street Harassment Week – April 8 at 10 a.m. and April 9 at 8 a.m. and April 16.

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