I get harassed in some way at least once a day living in London, but today’s encounter was extra special.

As I was outside the door to my flat I heard a car pull up behind me and someone hollering at me (“Yo bitch” – etc.)

I turned around to see a man probably in his mid-20s, with two females in the back, sticking his head out the window and asking me, “What’s up” and if I want to “come for a ride”.

I rolled my eyes and turned around to walk in my door…

Of course as soon as I do this things change and the guy starts calling me a “fucking bitch” and a “stupid cunt” and that now he knows where I live.

Brilliant.

– AB

Location: London, UK

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I was sitting on the patio at a local coffee shop, enjoying a chai, reading the paper, and waiting for my massage appointment. I was alone on the patio until two men and one woman came out and sat at the next table. I didn’t think much until they started getting into a conversation about women in general. They talked about how all women were worthless (remember, there was a woman sitting with them and she was laughing along with them) and were generally just being disrespectful.

At about that time, a woman crossed the street in front of us and one of the men wolf-whistled at her. She ignored it and kept on walking. A minute later a woman riding a motorcycle went by and that elicited another round of rude comments.

I was very uncomfortable. There was one part of me that really wanted to confront these guys and castigate them for their behavior and then there was the other part of me that didn’t feel safe doing so.

I opted to leave, feeling bad.

– Kelly

Location: Main St., Downtown Ventura, California

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A takeout guy on a bicycle kept looking at me inappropriately, then tried to get my attention me as I passed him. “Hola,” he said. I walked faster.

“HOLA!” he cried harder, as if I would stop because he said it louder. I almost ran across the street in my rush to escape him.

At the train station right after, I was followed by a creepy middle-aged man who kept trying to whisper in my ear. I tried to walk away to different parts of the train station, to get away from him and blend in more with the crowd. He followed me wherever I went.

I finally yelled, “Leave me alone!” He tried to act all innocently and say, “Who me?” with a smug smirk on his face. I stared back at him and said, “Yes, you.” He finally stopped following me, since he had been humiliated in front a crowd of people.

Some days, the harassment in my neighborhood is so invasive and frequent it’s like a bubble I constantly try to escape from. I have had a middle-aged man follow me to the library. One time, a guy was handing out pamphlets and asked whether or not I spoke English just because I chose to ignore his pestering me by saying “you’re beautiful, what are you 18?”

Another time, a guy rudely asserted that I shouldn’t wear headphones on the train, as he sat down right next to me in an empty train car, because I should listen to him say good morning. Um, no thank you.

Screw street harassment. Screw the foolish, rude, disgusting, ugly on the inside at the very least, street harassers. I hope one day they learn to respect women and not treat them as if they’re entitled to their attention. When you harass, even if you gaze intensely, you become an ugly pathetic version of yourself. I hope they realize that one day.

– SpeakOut