Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

“It’s intimidating and just makes me really angry.”

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When I walked to work, I would take long detours to avoid road or building works, as this usually meant braving a barrage of cat calls (‘complimentary’ and insulting). Once a bunch of builders all blew raspberries as I walked past, although one of their colleagues working away from them had forewarned me to avoid them. This doesn’t happen so much now, which might be because I’m older (result!) or because site managers are more aware that this behaviour is being seen as unacceptable. It’s intimidating and just makes me really angry.

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

Just continue with the campaign to make it seem less acceptable and allow offenders to be named and shamed if they are caught on film.

– Anonymous

Location: Nottingham, UK

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

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

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“It really felt vicious and hateful”

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I was going on a run this morning and a truck pulled up as I was running. These guys in the truck yelled at me in a horrible, MEAN, and NASTY tone, “Whitey white girl, white”.

It really felt vicious and hateful.

I was minding my own business and I was trying to get a run. I just moved to this small town last week, and I will only be here for a few months. I have been nice to everyone here and I somehow thought that since this is a small town, that people would be nice.

Two different cars have harassed me twice, out of nowhere in one week, since I moved here. I hope this isn’t a regular thing here. There is even a Texas Monthly article about it this month, how small towns including this one, which is named Lockhart, are friendly and great places to live. The other time was a few days ago in a different location. I was looking at a placard of an old school that used to be the town school….curious about history.

Some men pulled up out of nowhere and screamed, “GET OUT OF HERE, WE DON’T WANT YOU HERE!!!!!”

It was shocking, out of nowhere, and felt horrible. Seriously, there was no one around and I was just reading a placard.

Then these guys pull up like a nightmare and are pissed off that they think I’m invading their town? Why do they think they have a RIGHT to act like this?

Next time, if there is a next time, I’m taking a picture of their car and license plate, maybe even a video of them doing that and I’m calling the police.

People seriously need to carry pepper spray. It is not lethal, and it is a deterrent. Also, take pictures and record the person and call the police on them. They shouldn’t be allowed to do this.

— Jane Robins

Location: Lockhart, Texas

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

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

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“The worst thing for me was that I was 14 when this happened”

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I was walking back from my library volunteering job.

It was in summer so I had a loose top on (yes I know there is no need to include that).

As I turned the corner onto the high street, I saw a dodgy looking car with a load of shirtless guys inside. I knew they were going to be trouble so I stayed on the other side of the pavement and looked down. That didn’t stop one of the guys whistling and another guy going “wooooooooo”.

I walked quickly with no expression on my face.

Unfortunately I was being picked up off that road so I couldn’t leave as quickly as I would have liked.

The worst thing for me was that I was 14 when this happened. I do look mature for my age, but it’s still not alright. I was left feeling really insecure as it was the first time it had happened.

It also made me feel it was my fault for walking down *that* street at *that* time wearing *that* one piece. I then felt guilty about not saying anything as they went on to do that to other girls, which weighed me down.

So overall, while it may not have been the worst street harassment, I was still very young and already struggling with my mental health.

It should not happen in our modern society and this toxic behavior being forced on young teenagers who simply can’t cope. Thank you for reading my story.

Let’s make this a punishable crime as the lasting health impacts are inexcusable.

— Anonymous

Location:

Local street, England

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

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

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“Made me feel unsafe in a place where I usually feel safe”

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I had just gotten off from work after a 2-9 shift at a local restaurant. I stopped at the atm up the street from my house to deposit my tips from the day. While I was finishing up the deposit, a man walks in behind me and says “big winner,” to which I reply “yeah” without looking back. I retrieved my card and made for the exit, but the man was already standing to the side of me and goes “my turn” and then a few seconds later when I was at the exit he calls me a dick.

Not wanting to engage any further, I said nothing and made for my car. When I was about half way to my car, he runs into the parking lot and yells, “F**king c*nt!”

I sprint to my car and drive off as quickly as possible, thinking he is in pursuit. I drove to the exit of the parking lot and stopped to call the police. He saw me stop and was banging on the glass pointing at me from inside of the ATM. He must have figured I was calling the cops because he ran to his pickup truck and drove off. I decided it was not worth it to speak to an officer as I had no idea who this man was.

This incident made me feel unsafe in a place where I usually feel safe, it made me feel confused as to what set this man off, and it made me feel angry that he was able to get away with it. It also makes me feel bad for his next victim, as I’m sure there will be one.

Forgive me for not jumping up and down to befriend you at 10 p.m. while I’m completing an ATM transaction after a 7 hour shift. I will definitely be more cautious the next time and hope I am never caught in a situation like this again.

– BC

Location: Milford, CT

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

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

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New Book: The Right Amount of Panic

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Dr. Fiona Vera-Gray has written a new book on street harassment called The Right Amount of Panic: How Women Trade Freedom for Safety. It’s available for sale here.

Here’s a description:

Have you ever thought about how much energy goes into avoiding sexual violence? The work that goes into feeling safe goes largely unnoticed by the women doing it and by the wider world, and yet women and girls are the first to be blamed the inevitable times when it fails.

We need to change the story on rape prevention and ‘well-meaning’ safety advice, because this makes it harder for women and girls to speak out, and hides the amount of work they are already doing trying to decipher ‘the right amount of panic’. With real-life accounts of women’s experiences, and based on the author’s original research on the impact of sexual harassment in public, this book challenges victim-blaming and highlights the need to show women as capable, powerful and skillful in their everyday resistance to harassment and sexual violence.”

I was asked to give a quote/review for it: “By re-interpreting women’s daily safety strategies as successful forms of resistance, this book presents fresh ideas for sexual violence prevention.”

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