Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

“[He] muttered some obscenities about me and licked his lips”

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Do you have a story about street harassment during the global COVID-19 pandemic? Share it here and we’ll post it for International Anti-Street Harassment Week, April 19-25.

I was walking home with both arms full of groceries and a man walking past me muttered some obscenities about me and licked his lips. I felt nervous and scared.

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

In general, I think bigger sidewalks, and less armed officers which would encourage more pedestrians on the street, and therefore more eyes on the street. At times like this, it would be ideal if the government implemented grocery and pharmaceutical delivery services so people could stay safely indoors.

– MP

Location: In front of my apartment building

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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Artwork by Sravya Attaluri

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Sravya Attaluri is an illustrator and designer working with the UK-based anti-street harassment campaign Our Streets Now. (See longer bio below.)

She designed these two images and shared on Instagram (and I’m sharing here with her permission):

“It’s ridiculous how people think it’s okay to scream things at you while you walk down the street. And even more ridiculous to think that it’s NOT legal! I hope that I can empower people through my illustrations to take action against street harassment.

I’m always so happy and proud to work with @OurStreetsNow. They are not only raising awareness but making a huge impact on public street harassment. Check out their page to learn more.”

Have you made an image or graphic relating to street harassment? Tag us and we’ll share it online! @StopStHarassmnt. Or email to StopStreetHarassment@Gmail.com.

Longer Bio: Graphic Designer and Artist, Sravya Attaluri is determined to confront mental health stigmas and explore feminist issues through the lens of a third-cultured woman of colour. She is currently a Senior Designer at a world renowned digital agency in Hong Kong. When she’s not consulting for clients, Sravya is focused on creating artwork for charities and upcoming art shows.

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2020 Anti-Street Harassment Week – Day 1

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Today was Day 1 of our virtual International Anti-Street Harassment Week, and groups all over the world share information and stories and clever activism activities on their social media accounts. Below are three examples of what took place, and here is a photo album that highlights a few more things.

You also can follow the hashtag #StopStreetHarassment to see more!

Australia:

It’s Not A Compliment began collecting people’s street harassment stories to share online. Here are a few.

India:

Safecity collected responses to the phrase, “If street harassment didn’t exist, I would….”  These are four examples.

Peru:

PLAN Peru and Paremos el Acoso Callejero held a virtual forum “Sexual Harassment: Neither Street nor Virtual” on 18 April, 10 am. to 1 p.m.. UTC. This was their agenda:

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10 Years of Global Organizing!

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2011 March in Delhi, India

It’s International Anti-Street Harassment Week, and this is the tenth year that I am overseeing global action around stopping street harassment!

US action in 2011

Starting in 2007 with my master’s thesis, I began tracking street harassment activism that was happening around the world. Then I began documenting it on my new Stop Street Harassment blog in 2008 and in my first book in 2010.

In 2011, I thought, wouldn’t be wonderful if all these groups and activists around the world took action on the same day to amplify each other’s work and show this is a global problem?

With just a month notice, I organized a day of action for the First Day of Spring – since warmer weather often brings more street harassment. It was a big success and the overwhelming feedback from participating groups was to make it a full week – and in 2012, it became a week.

The week continued on, with our biggest years of action occurring in 2015 and 2016!

Now, this is our 10th year of organizing global action and it’s our most unusual – right in the middle of a global pandemic!

I appreciate so much our allies and partners who have led actions, organized, created change and educated their communities. It’s been amazing each and every year to see what people come up with, to see what impact their actions have.

You can read the reports about what happened in 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011

How will you take part this year?

2011 image by Lani Shotlow-Rincon
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It’s International Anti-Street Harassment Week 2020!

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Today marks the first day of International Anti-Street Harassment Week, and it’s our 10th year of organizing global action.

Even though most places around the world are under stay-at-home orders to combat the coronavirus COVID-19, it does not mean that street harassment has completely stopped. So, even now, our efforts to raise awareness and call for its end remain relevant. It also means now is the time to plan for a better future.

Here’s information on each topic, as well as a preview of some of the virtual actions for the week that you can join.

COVID-19 Stories

Eliza who runs Cheer Up Luv in the UK posted about street harassment on her Instagram account and gave me permission to post it on our blog here. In part she wrote, “For some, it seems the new restrictions are giving a freedom to harassers to do whatever they please, and not face the repercussions of their actions.”

Everyday Sexism Founder Laura Bates said they received an increase in street harassment during quarantine stories globally recently and wrote about it for the Telegraph.

“‘We are literally in the midst of a global pandemic and I just got catcalled TWICE while enjoying my one allotted trip out of the house today. Priorities people.’

Unbelievably, this was just one of many comments recently sent in to my Everyday Sexism Project, which collects testimonies of gender inequality… even during a pandemic lockdown, the reports have not stopped.”

In Argentina, Acción Respeto: por una calle libre de acoso began receiving stories and are currently collecting more this week. One story read:

“Malas experiencias las pocas veces que sali, como no hay nadie en la calle, la hacen peor y se te matan de la risa. Siento mucho mas miedo. Fui hasta un cajero y me cruce con un tipo que me seguia con la mirada y se daba vuelta a ver que hacia. O van de a dos caminando ( cosa que no se puede) y se te rien porque ellos van siempre en ventaja.”

(English approx translation via Google: “Bad experiences the few times I went out, as there is nobody on the street, they make it worse and they kill you laughing. I feel much more afraid. I went to an ATM and came across a guy who was following me with his eyes and turned to see what he was doing. Or they go two by two (which is not possible) and they laugh at you because they are always ahead.”)

It is unfortunate that street harassers still feel emboldened to harass, harm and scare people during what should be a time of global solidarity as we work to contain the virus and keep everyone healthy and safe.

Plan for a Better Future + Educational Information

One of the most effective ways to combat sexual harassment, including street harassment, is for witnesses to it to stand up and speak out when they are safe and able to do so. This can help make street harassment socially unacceptable and reduce the number of future incidents.

This week, Sayfty and Hollaback! are teaming up to offer two important virtual offerings on the topic.

April 20: Sayftychat will take place with Sayfty and Hollaback! on Twitter at 3:30 pm UTC/11:30 am EST, “Bystander Intervention During This Pandemic.” Use #SayftyChat

April 24: There will be a free virtual Zoom training on standing up to harassers offered on April 24, 4pm UTC/12pm EST in English. You must pre-register. Organized by Hollaback! and Sayfty.

You can also find information on our website about bystander intervention and responding to street harassers in the moment and later.

And we have books with information on responding to harassers in our books, such at 50 Stories About Stopping Street Harassers. One reader of this book said, “Thanks for sharing these stories – they are really empowering. And thanks for the ideas – some of them are just brilliant.”

To learn more about street harassment overall, check out our book Stop Street Harassment: Making Public Places Safe and Welcoming for Women and learn about the global campaigns that have helped shape the current movement to stop it in the sequel Stop Global Street Harassment: Growing Activism Around the World.

You can also learn about street harassment in the U.S. in our national study on street harassment, which also has a section on solutions.

Creative Awareness-Raising Efforts

Across this Week, you will find many virtual creative awareness-raising efforts, from videos in which people describe what they would do if there was no street harassment, to street harassment bingo, to sharing messages/stories about street harassment in photos, to discussion groups about TV episodes that contain street harassment situations.

Here is a photo album with highlights.

You can join the Global Day of Online Action on 21 April and share street harassment stories, facts, and activism ideas across the day. Use #StopStreetHarassment.

There will also be a few tweet chats across the week, with a schedule listed below.

April 20: @IBVMNGO and @pinthecreep will host a tweet chat on “Street harassment from a youth perspective” at 12 p.m. UTC/8 a.m. EST and 5:30 p.m. IST. Use #StopStreetHarassment

April 20: Sayftychat will take place with Sayfty and Hollaback! on Twitter at 3:30 pm UTC/11:30 am EST, “Bystander Intervention During This Pandemic.” Use #SayftyChat

April 21: @CatcallsofNYC and @PintheCreep are hosting a tweet chat on “Street harassment and responding in real time” at 12 p.m. UTC/8 a.m. EST and 5:30 p.m. IST. Use #StopStreetHarassment

April 21: Paremos el Acoso Callejero is holding a tweet chat en Espanol, 3-5p.m. Use #SinAcosoYo

April 22: @IGHomelessness and @PintheCreep will host a tweet chat on “Street harassment and homelessness” at 12 p.m. UTC/8 a.m. EST and 5:30 p.m. IST. Use #StopStreetHarassment

April 24: @NGOsonFfD and @PintheCreep will host a tweet chat on “The role of financing – Ensuring safe, inclusive streets for all” at 12 p.m. UTC/8 a.m. EST and 5:30 p.m. IST. Use #StopStreetHarassment

We are grateful to our partners Safecity/Red Dot Foundation and Catcalls of NYC for overseeing many of these efforts.

Please plan on joining us this week in whatever capacity you can! Now is the time to work to stop street harassment.

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