Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

“It causes women to feel unsafe walking down the streets”

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I was walking towards my bank and a passing car slowed down. The driver brought out his head to tell me that I am a W#**e and a s**t and I should get in his car and let him f#@% me …

Do you have any suggestions for dealing with harassers and/or ending street harassment in general?

Strict laws to let them know that it is a crime and it causes women to feel unsafe walking down the streets

– Anonymous

Location: Tripoli-Libya

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“Your Wife is Hot” Sign

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I have seen this bill board in random places along I-95 in south Florida for the past few months. Today I was able to get a picture. I’m sure the marketing people of this company are happy with the double entendre they’ve come up with, and while there is no chesty female in the background, it still seems to me to be inappropriate. I guess we all have a “line” in our frame of reference dividing prudishness from good fun to rude and inconsiderate. For me this crosses that line. What about you?

– AK

Location: Florida

 

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“Why he does not treat me with more respect”

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I am 73 years old and live in Auckland, New Zealand. I recently downsized from a house in suburbs when I mostly drove to places I needed to get to, to an apartment close to the city where I now mostly walk. I have noticed that when some elderly men pass me in the street they seem to make a strange kissing noise which I find offensive. I have only just realised since finding this website that it is intentional ….. and I am now ANGRY.

Do you have any suggestions for dealing with harassers and/or ending street harassment in general?

I rather feel like pursuing the next passer by who does this and asking him, in a loud, clear voice why he does not treat me with more respect.

– Jean HH

Location: In the street, often busy areas, Auckland, New Zealand

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Men are NOT Entitled to Our Attention, Bodies, or Lives

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In the wake of the UC Santa Barbara shooting by a man angry at women and the shooting in Stockton, California, where a man allegedly fired his gun at three women Saturday morning who refused to have sex with him and his friends, a lot of people are speaking out about how common it is for some men to feel entitled to women’s attention and bodies.

In addition to articles on news sites and posts on blogs on this topic, people are taking to Twitter and speaking out using the hashtag #YesAllWomen.

Also, Deanna Zandt started a new Tumblr called When Women Refuse (Trigger Warning), detailing the violence men incite on women for refusing their sexual advances.

Street harassment is coming up a lot in these conversations because it is a very clear manifestation of this type of behavior. I see this this all the time in the stories I hear and collect on this blog.

1 – In the first place, most street harassment is the outcome of men feeling entitled to comment on, follow and touch women (and men) they do not know, without their permission.

2 – Then, when women refuse to say thank you to the harasser, give him their phone number, agree to sex, smile when he tells them to or otherwise refuses men’s demands, some men get angry and call women stuck up or a bitch, push them, chase them, throw garbage at them*, run them over and shoot them. This is insane. It needs to STOP.

SSH is releasing a huge national report on street harassment in one week. It includes summaries of 10 focus groups and these kinds of stories came up many times. I hope the report can contribute valuable information to this conversation and show why male feelings of entitlement to women needs to be addressed.

Men are never entitled to women’s attention or bodies. This is an important message that we must all spread. Women’s lives depend on it.

* See the full film for the garbage story

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Holla:Rev 2014

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Today is the second Holla:Revolution, an afternoon of speakers, spoken word and dance about street harassment resistance, organized by Hollaback! in New York City.

If you’re not there, you can watch via the livestream (2-5 p.m. EDT) and follow the conversation on Twitter, @iHollaback using #hollarev.

Speakers include many of our friends and allies, like Sally Kohn, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh from Stop Telling Women to Smile, Charla Harlow of the Harlow Project, Soraya Chemaly, and more!

 

 

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