Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Sexist searching for a nutritious meal

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I am 95 percent sure that a homeless man said either, “I need a wife to cook me a nutritious meal” or “Be my wife and cook me a nutritious meal” while looking right at me. I was walking from my office to the metro station in Washington, DC, this evening.

I noticed he said something to the man walking ahead of me too. I feel 100 percent certain that if he mentioned wanting a meal to him, he didn’t say anything that would suggest that because it was a man passing by, the man should cook him a meal the way he did with me, a woman.

Location: L Street NW and 16th Street NW, Washington, DC

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NYPD Officer Fail Re: Subway Masturbator

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Thanks to the efforts of organizations like Holla Back NYC and RightRides,  several subway cars in New York City have anti-harassment ads that include text encouraging people to report harassers.

Image from NBC NY
Image from NBC NY

NBC New York is reporting that a woman who took a photo of a man who started masturbating in front of her on a northbound number 3 train (it was around 4 in the afternoon, no less) and reported it to a local precinct was told by the police officer that it wasn’t a police matter and to call 311. All one has to do is peruse a few stories on Holla Back NYC‘s website to realize that men masturbating on subways and at subway stations is a huge problem so this officer’s response to this woman’s efforts to report one of them one is disconcerting.

“The NYPD said internal affairs is looking into the matter.

‘Public lewdness’ is a misdemeanor that results in hundreds of arrests each year — a fact the cop apparently didn’t know.

‘It was a police matter and IAB is investigating why anyone would have been told otherwise,’ said police spokesman Paul Browne.

The incident comes as the police department has tried increase public awareness — and conviction — of sexual harassment on the subway.”

NBC posted the photo the woman took (see photo above, right) and said anyone with tips can call Crimestoppers at 800-577-TIPS.

If one police officer is unaware of the correct protocal for handling harassers like masturbators, there are likely others. Police officers MUST get educated about the pervasiveness and types of public harassment and assault and the impact they have on women’s every day lives. It takes a lot of time and energy and bravery to undertake reporting a harasser and when someone like this women makes that effort, she should be given proper help and support.

(And kudos to Holla Back NYC’s Emily May for a great quote in the Metro‘s article about this incident: “It’s an ongoing problem of the police showing insensitivity to harassment, lewdness and violence against women on subways…It discourages women from reporting.”)

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Jamaican Harrasser in White Jeep

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There is an Uno’s Restuarant in Brockton, MA, next to the West Gate Mall. This is where I had the displeasure of meeting “the black man”.

I had gotten out of work and wanted to get something to eat at the Uno’s. They weren’t open yet, so I sat down on a bench, took out my notebook and started to draw. A moment later, a black man with long dreads and a very Jamaican accent pulled in a big white Jeep and called to me through the passenger window,

“Hey! Wanna buy a black man dinner?!”

I made the mistake of looking up and answering,

“No.”

“Aw, come on baby, why not?”

“Becuase I don’t have the money.”

“It’s because I’m black, isn’t it? Come on, baby, don’t you love black men?”

I am a lesbian, but I didn’t want to tell him that. So I answered,

“My boyfriend is meeting me here.”

“And he a white boy?”

“He’s Indian. Leave me alone.”

To my relief, he drove away, but as I watched, I learned that he had not given up. Instead, he turned around and pulled up so he could talk to me through the driver’s window. I was getting scared, and the restaurant was still closed, so I had no place to go and no one to help me.

“Baby, you beautiful,” he went on to say, “I love white women. I would worship you like the goddess you are, baby. I would buy you things, I would love you better than your boyfriend. Come on, baby, let me worship you!”

I told him again, NO firmly, and he seemed to accept it. He drove off, and as soon as he did, I heard the resturant door’s unlock. I ran in and told the hostess there that there was a black man in a white jeep harrassing me, and to be careful. She offered to call for the police, but I decided I needed to leave the area. Thanking her, I left quickly and ran to my car and drove home, all the time looking around me to make sure I wasn’t being followed.

This was almost too terrifying to believe, because he was in a big car, and I was out of mine in front of a restaurant with no one around. Anything could have happened.

– anonymous

Location: Brockton, MA

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Include your location and it will be added to the Street Harassment Map.

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CVS Creep in Philly

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I live in Philadelphia, PA, and when I walk to the CVS, there is this one guy who always, always always, whenever he sees me, goes, “Hey beautiful, how’s it going?” It creeps me the hell out! His tone is predatory and since I see him in on this one block on the way to the store about every other week (not in the winter, just in spring/summer and maybe fall, but less frequently then), I’ve been too scared to say anything. I live close by and don’t want him following me! Every time I think about it, I think about how I’m going to tell him to fuck himself, or I’m going to get the cop that’s usually by the CVS to do something or something––but I never do. I just walk by, eyes straight ahead. And feel like shit for letting him make me feel like prey.

-anonymous

Location: Philadelphia, PA

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Lexington, MA, Truck Driver

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I was in Lexington, MA, for a job interview, and I was early enough to get a bite to eat at the local McDonald’s. I opted to eat in my car, engine off, doors locked. It was the middle of the day, not late at all.

As I was eating, I noticed a white or Hispanic man across the parking lot, standing next to a big, white distribution truck, and he was staring at me intently. I looked away but kept my attention on him to be careful.

After a few minutes, he started to call to me with ‘hey’ over and over again. He just stared and motioned to me to come out of my car. I didn’t. I decided I was tired of him, and drove out of the parking lot.

As I stopped at the red light, I noticed the white truck exiting the parking lot as well, and coming straight for me. I dashed off into the road I needed, and hid myself down an obscure street to avoid being found. Thankfully I did not see him again, but I can say that I was extremely shaken up about the entire thing and wanted to cry. I felt so helpless and trapped in my own car.

– J.L.

Location: Lexington, MA

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Include your location and it will be added to the Street Harassment Map.

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