Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

London Art Student’s Work, “Give Us a Smile Love”

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UPDATE 5/30: Yesterday I posted this image at Goldsmiths, University of London that someone tweeted at me and I had believed it was promoting street harassment.

Today I found out it is a student’s piece of art “exploring the problem of street harassment,” and thus, of course, I feel totally different about it. Art is a great conversation starter on this topic and it is often an effective way to raise awareness. Now, I am waiting to learn more about this particular piece of art, such as if there is information posted nearby about street harassment or more context for the piece.

I apologize for the misunderstanding.

 

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4 Exciting New Programs and Initiatives

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Mark and I during an Our Streets Too March in Washington, D.C., June 2011

Five Year Anniversary – See How We’ve Grown

Five years ago this week, I launched the Stop Street Harassment (SSH) website and blog to fill the void left when two of the anti-harassment websites I studied for my master’s thesis went inactive or disappeared. My significant other Mark is the one who had the idea and encouraged me to go for it. I had no idea how to run a blog and I barely updated it during its first year. But, I knew this was an important topic, and slowly, the site grew.

Since May 2008, there have been 2,100 articles and stories published on the blog, we’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and we have 15 blog correspondents, 9 board members, 6 social media volunteers, and soon, our first summer intern.

4 Exciting New Programs and Initiatives
Part of our continued growth is the creation of new programs and initiatives, including:

1. Safe Public Spaces Mentoring Program PILOT: People and groups in the USA can propose a project idea that addresses gender-based street harassment in their community. Selected projects will receive in-depth mentoring for up to three months, up to $250 to offset expenses, and other benefits. Learn more.

*Applications are available as of TODAY!*

2. Stopping Companies that Trivialize Street Harassment: This month we launched an on-going list of companies that have ads or products that treat street harassment like a joke or compliment. Already, in collaboration with groups like Collective Action for Safe Spaces, SSH was instrumental in pressuring Lego, Bare Escentuals, and Skirt Sports to drop offensive products, marketing, or messaging. Let me know when you see a company that should be on the list.

3. Documenting Street Harassment in the United States: SSH is fundraising to be able to conduct the first-ever national study on street harassment in the United States (donate here). To supplement the 2,000-person survey, we’re conducting focus groups across the country. In June, we will conduct ones in New York City and New Orleans. When possible, we hold them in collaboration with the Harlow Project. If you want a focus group conducted in your area, let me know.

4. Know Your Rights Toolkit: SSH’s summer intern will produce a toolkit detailing the laws and city ordinances that are relevant to street harassment (including indecent exposure and groping), how to report these crimes, and what strategies you can use to strengthen the laws.

Support Our Expansion!
There are three ways you can help support our growth.

1. Make a direct, tax-deductible donation.
2. Bid on the great 15 items available in our online auction (it closes this weekend).
3. If you’re in Washington, D.C., attend our happy hour fundraiser and awards ceremony on June 5.

Thank You
THANK YOU for your support and for believing in us! As you can see, with your help, we’re continuing to expand faster than ever and we can’t wait to see what the next five years bring!

-Holly Kearl
SSH Founder

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“I expect to be treated with respect”

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When I lived in Old Hull (Quebec, Canada), I experienced a lot of street harassment. In the summer, it was a nightly occurrence. It became normal to me. I realize that there is prostitution there. The only time it bothered me was when I was threatened or followed. This was one of those times —

I worked 3 to 11 p.m. in the east end of Ottawa and took the bus home. I would get back to Hull around midnight every night. I would have to walk from Promenade du Portage and Eddy Street to Charlevoix. It was no surprise that when I began my walk home that some guy shouted, ‘Hey, you working?” I ignored it and continued working. I heard the same voice. “Hey bitch, you working?” I turned my head and saw four men in a car. I yelled, “NO” and walked faster.

They drove off. I thought they left. They just circled the block and approached me again. “Wanna party with us?” I yelled “NO.” They drove away again. I hope that they were going to leave me alone. I felt frightened and unsure what I would do if they stopped the car. How could I defend myself against four men?

They came back. This is the basic conversation that followed, “Why don’t you wanna party with us?”
“I don’t know you.”
“So what we just wanna have some fun?”
“I’m not going to get into a car with four men that I don’t know.”

This is when they stopped the car. One of the opened the back passenger door and yelled, “Get in the car b***h.” I was terrified. I froze. I screamed, “NO!” They left again. I walked even faster. Then I started to run. I thought they finally left. I turned left onto Charlevoix. That’s when the car reappeared. They stopped again. Again there was an argument.

“What’s your problem? Just get in the car!” Again I say that I am not getting in the car and would just like to be left alone.

“Well we aren’t doing anything wrong. You’re just a loud mouth b***h.”

I said “You’re right I’m a loud mouth b***h.” I then began screaming, “I bet that I’m so loud that the cop at the lights can hear me.”

“We ain’t doing nothing wrong b***h.”

“Tell it to the cop.”

They left. I could feel my bones shake, but I made it home safely.

I have had many reactions to this story. Many reactions were to blame me.

One woman behaved as though I should be ashamed. “Oh my god, I hope that you don’t tell this story to anyone?”

Many questioned me. “What were you wearing? Why were walking alone? Why were you walking at night? Only w****s walk alone, especially at night”

Some even blamed where I lived. “What do expect living there? If you want respect, move to a good neighborhood. You can’t blame those poor boys. All the broads in Hull are either selling it or giving it away. Why else would anyone go to Hull?”

When I was asked “what I expected?”, I answered, “I expect to be treated with respect. This being failed, I expect people to F*** OFF the first time I tell them.”

– Jennifer

Location: Eddy Street, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada

Share your street harassment story for the blog.

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2013 UN Comission on the Status of Women

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“Whether walking city streets, using public transport, going to school, or selling goods at the market, women and girls are subject to the threat of sexual harassment and violence. This reality of daily life limits women’s freedom to get an education, to work, to participate in politics – or to simply enjoy their own neighbourhoods.

Yet despite its prevalence, violence and harassment against women and girls in public spaces remains a largely neglected issue, with few laws or policies in place to address it,” wrote the former executive director of UN Women and former president of Chile, Michele Bachelet.

“One approach [for addressing it] is the Safe Cities global initiative. This partnership of municipal governments, local communities and organisations, and the UN, is working to make urban environments safer for women and girls.

Initially launched by UN Women and UN-Habitat with five pilot cities – Cairo, Egypt; Kigali, Rwanda; New Delhi, India; Quito, Ecuador; and Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea – the initiative has expanded to more than 20 cities and continues to grow.

One of the most important lessons we have learned is that each city is unique and requires a local response. This can only be achieved by conducting a diagnostic study with data and evidence, and engaging community members. Cities have taken actions to improving the lighting and design of streets and buildings, training and sensitizing police, and hiring more women police officers. These practical responses can make a world of difference.”

This is one of the clearest and most concise articles I’ve read about the problem of street harassment/sexual violence in public spaces and what the UN is doing about it.

Even better news is that in March 2013, for the first time, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women included several clauses about sexual harassment in public spaces in its Agreed Conclusions, signaling a shift in how this issue is viewed and its level of importance.

For example, it expressed “deep concern about violence against women and girls in public spaces, including sexual harassment, especially when it is being used to intimidate women and girls who are exercising any of their human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

It called on States to “increase measures to protect women and girls from violence and harassment, including sexual harassment and bullying, in both public and private spaces, to address security and safety, through awareness-raising, involvement of local communities, crime prevention laws, and policies.”

It also called on States to “support the development and use of information and communications technology ….as a resource for the empowerment of women and girls, including access to information on the prevention of and response to violence against women and girls; and develop mechanisms to combat the use of information and communications technology used to perpetrate violence against women and girls.”

I am excited to share that I am now a consultant to the UN for their Safe Cities Global Initiative and will look for ways to elevate their work through SSH and learn from their efforts as they address street harassment strategically, on a global scale.

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Five Year Anniversary Happy Hour & Awards Ceremony!

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The Five Year Anniversary of Stop Street Harassment activities/announcements continue!

If you’re in the Washington, D.C. area, I hope you can attend our fundraiser happy hour  and awards ceremony on June 5, from 5-9 p.m. at Vinoteca.

(And if you’re not local or if you can’t attend, you can still support us through a tax-deductible donation and/or by bidding on an item during our online auction this week.)

This is a great opportunity to not only support the work of SSH and celebrate our five years of activism, but it is also a wonderful chance to meet some of the SSH board members and volunteers and to mingle with the AMAZING DC-area community members and groups with whom we work.

At 5:30 p.m., there will be an awards ceremony to honor public officials and community members who work to make the Washington-D.C. area safer.

Additionally, there will be a raffle, happy hour specials, street harassment art, SSH swag, and books for sale.

Event Awardees:

Safe Public Spaces Champion: Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser (confirmed to attend!)

Safe Transit Advocate: Deputy Chief Leslie M. Campbell, Caroline Lukas, and Ben Merrion

Safe Public Spaces Trailblazer: Marty Laneglan, Dienna Howard, and Patrick Ryne McNiel

Community Change Agents: DefendYourself Staff and Collective Action for Safe Spaces Staff

Logistical Info:

When: June 5, 2013, 5-9 p.m. The awards ceremony will be from 5:30 – 6 p.m. and the raffle will be at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Vinoteca, 1940 11th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

Cost: Free to attend, there will be happy hour specials. You may want to bring some cash for the raffle, donation jar, and if you want to buy a copy of the Stop Street Harassment book.

Shareable Image:

Link to it: http://tinyurl.com/ovu24x5

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