Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Part 2: Sexual Harassment of Women in India: A Violation of Personal and Public Space

By

Manish Madan, Ph.D, USA, SSH Blog Correspondent

[This is continued from Part 1]

The next part of my write-up is on a recent research study that I conducted with my co-author Mahesh K. Nalla, understanding the nature of sexual harassment of women in public places with a focus on the capital city, New Delhi, India. I enumerate a few of the key findings below:

  • Nearly 2 out of 5 women (40 percent) reported to being sexually harassed (from being catcalled, whistled at to being physically groped, poked etc.) in the year prior, and
  • About 3 out of 5 women (about 58 percent) had experienced the harassment at least once in their lifetime.
  • Nearly 56 percent of the women said, they knew someone (friend/family) who has been harassed at least once in their lifetime.
  • About 80 percent of the women reported to have experienced victimization while waiting for a bus at a bus-stop, and about 60-70 percent reported victimization at a roadside; pubic park/public areas such as market place, shopping complex etc.
  • Majority of the women had experienced it in the daytime compared to after dark hours. This in our view was not too surprising given that the most women tend to access public spaces or use the public transportation for their daily business during the daytime.
  • Women find public mode of transportation (busses, metro etc.) and public spaces as less accommodating for them compared to the men.
  • Women were less likely to report feeling of safety in public spaces compared to men.
  • Finally, there is a significant gap in how men and women view sexual harassment.

Most of these finding should find much attention with policy makers in Delhi government or with the Delhi Women Commission given the context of the study post Delhi Gang Rape that questioned the women’s safety in the capital city.

Interestingly, there was not much gap in women’s experience of actual victimization versus their perception of victimization at specific public locations – call it a woman’s instinct, and on a much serious note, admit our inability in ensuring a safer and/or accommodating environment for women.

The significant gap in gender views on sexual harassment opens an important array of discussion points given the dynamics of sexual harassment. For example, nearly one-third to one-fourth of the men did not view whistling, catcalling, brushing up against a women or leaning closely as a constituting sexual harassment while nearly all women found them to be very serious instances of sexual harassment. It is therefore an important take-home for us – the education, awareness needs to be initiated in identifying actions that constitute sexual harassment. We have to be on the same page.

The UN Millennium Project suggested eight goals that quantify as well as qualify toward “basic human rights – the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter, and security.” Promoting gender equality and empower women is one of those eight basic human rights goal that the large gathering of world leaders adopted as part of the UN Millennium Declaration in September 2000. Just like any project deadline, the participating nations committed to the deadline of 2015. Are we there yet, or do we really need a deadline extension in ensuring women safety?

The 2013 Charter of Public Space recently adopted in Rome stated public spaces to be as accessible and enjoyable by all for free … “Public spaces are a key elements of individual and social well-being, the places of a community’s collective life, expression of the diversity of their common natural and cultural richness and a foundation of their identity.” Can we ask the Government to ensure that public spaces are equitable and inclusive to all genders? I see a prominent role of urban city planners, who also understand the concepts of gendered spaces and can advise the government in relevant light.

Finally, as suggested by the study, the inadequate or distressed access of public space to women is not only contrary to the UN Millennium Development Goal on the Status of Women but at a fundamental level challenges the constitutional and basic human rights of women in our society. Eight out of 10 women waiting at a bus stop recognize that they will likely be experiencing or witnessing some form of sexual harassment. Is it supposed to be the new normal? I believe we as a community of responsible citizens can do better, isn’t it?

The Road Ahead

Like any other social menace, sexual harassment of women in public spaces is an issue that needs a collective effort where all stakeholders such as government, legislators, urban planners, criminal justice system, advocacy groups, NGOs, schools, media, researchers and finally, men and women work together. The remedial may not be prompt but with sustained efforts backed by research, we can hope to have lesser instances of sexual harassment.

Citizen-driven initiatives backed by organizations, government will be at the heart of this, in my view. As clichéd as it may sound, I am neither the first one nor will be last to say, the public discourse on sexual harassment must initiate at an early educational level within schools and within homes. Furthermore, attitudinal change is a must toward gender sensitization. Every time there is an instance of sexual harassment, someone’s right to personal and public space is getting violated. Someone’s constitutional right to be a free citizen is getting violated and it is not cool.

I encourage initiating cross-gender dialogue #WhatIsSexualHarassment to understand and raise awareness about what indeed sexual harassment is. Trust me, there will be far too many definitions emerging from this proposed dialogue, however, my hope will be the sensitization and education of many men and women alike about what all constitutes sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment of women is not a women’s issue anymore. As a society we have to work collectively toward addressing the prevalence of sexual harassment and envision a community that refuses any form of violence against women. I do want to put a special emphasis that this article is put in no way to single out one gender over another or to draw a generalization of men versus women. I hope you all join my vision.

Manish is a Professor of Criminal Justice at Stockton University where his research focuses on examining sexual harassment, gender empowerment, spousal abuse and policing issues. You can follow him @Prof_Madan or reach out to him at www.manishmadan.com.

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Part 1: Sexual Harassment of Women in India: A Violation of Personal and Public Space

By

Manish Madan, Ph.D, USA, SSH Blog Correspondent

Benjamin Franklin once said, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” If he were a woman in current times, I wonder if this adage would have been stated as, “… nothing is certain except for death, taxes and sexual harassment.” Such is the prevalence of sexual harassment for women not only in the US, but globally.

Various research studies have reported the pervasiveness of sexual harassment within schools, colleges, workplace including in the US military. There are also documented reports of sexual harassment in public spaces worldwide, for example in France, China, Pakistan, Egypt, London, India, and Iran to name a few.

Sexual harassment of women influences job satisfaction, anxiety, depression, physical and mental health, constant stress leading to burnout. Research has also shown evidence of sexual harassment’s association with negative emotions such as fear, shame, anger, and guilt. There is a growing body of literature highlighting sexual harassment’s role in alleviating one’s helplessness to developing post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Needless to say, women are the primary victims and males are mostly the offenders.

In India, the horrific Delhi Gang-Rape of 2012 resulted in the 23-year old woman losing her life. If there is anything positive that resulted from this incident – it is perhaps that this brought the crime against women to the forefront, a much needed impetus.

In my view, it also gave the feminist movement a big push where the young, old, men and women alike were on the streets demanding a basic human right, that is, “safety and security in public spaces.” In the same breath, I am very apologetic for finding a positive in this gruesome event, a human life is far too valuable to be sacrificed for people to start ruffling their feathers toward an important social change.

Notwithstanding my personal position, one thing is apparent that since this incident, the sexual offenses (from rape to assault to insulting the modesty of a women) have alarmingly increased, both at a national level and within the capital city. Do we take pride in a higher reporting and that law enforcement is perhaps taking more complaints, or we feel just about ashamed at these growing numbers and do nothing? Or chart a future course with policy-driven initiatives grounded in empirical evidence?

Indiasexoffense

Source: National Crime Record Bureau (India): 2006–2014.

Let me assert that the problem in India is not the laws or its lack thereof. According to the Indian Penal Code (IPC), sexual offences comprise rape (Sec. 375, Sec. 376 IPC); attempt to commit rape, assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty (Sec. 354 IPC) and insult to the modesty of women (Sec. 509 IPC). An offence of rape under sec 376 warrants a fine with rigorous imprisonment of a term not less than seven years, but may also extend to imprisonment for life. The Indian legal system does provide protection and remedial against sexual harassment including many serious sexual offenses. However, the pervasive occurrence of sexual violence in India exists for reasons that are beyond the mere existence of the laws. A Washington Post story attributed it to a few female police officers, a sluggish court system, few convictions, and low status of women in the Indian society among several other factors. For the purpose of this write up, it is my hope that both men and women become aware of the pertinent laws.

Read Part 2.

Manish is a Professor of Criminal Justice at Stockton University where his research focuses on examining sexual harassment, gender empowerment, spousal abuse and policing issues. You can follow him @Prof_Madan or reach out to him at www.manishmadan.com.

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USA: Vigilant against Street Harassment

By

Turquoise A. Thomas (Morales), Kansas, USA, SSH Blog Correspondent

Growing up I, like most girls and women, had wholeheartedly internalized the fear of “stranger danger.” So naturally, as I matured and my family allowed me to explore the cities we lived in unattended, I was extremely vigilant. However, like most girls and boys coming into young adulthood, I also felt it was exciting and flattering to occasionally catch the eye of someone who was ‘mutually attractive’. Strolling the mall on a Saturday afternoon with friends, hunting for friendship bracelets at Claire’s, might include a game of seeing how many cute boys we could spot, and in turn, how many would ask for our numbers. We invited these experiences verbally and physically. Some might even argue that we “reverse catcalled” boys of our age.

While my parents, and others always advised my friends I to be wary of strangers, usually older men, there was little to no mention of strangers our own age, whom we often perceived as peers, and thus less threatening.  At the time, most of us girls were still physically larger or around the same stature as the boys our age.

Casual conversations with “cute boys” at the mall, bus stops, or other places in the neighborhood led to my peers building their first “real” relationships.  I met my first “real” boyfriend, walking to a 7-11 in Inglewood, CA, when I was 17. He was 18. While my experience with him is what I’d call atypical, I had other experiences stemming from what I now understand to have been street harassment. I’d also heard haunting tales of street harassment from peers and continue to hear horrific stories now, ten years later.  Today with social media platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, YikYak etc it’s quite easy to share these experiences and the negative experiences easily can spread like wildfire and result in literal organized protests, which I personally welcome.

Street harassment is unavoidable, there is nothing a woman or any other harassment victim can do to ‘avoid’ a perpetrator. In adulthood, my response to inquisitive strangers regardless of their gender or apparent interest in me is much less inviting and quite frankly hostile.  Yet still, I occasionally get harassed. When I’m harassed in adulthood it is almost solely by people I regularly see but still am not acquainted with. Strangers rarely say anything to me.

In a recent survey I conducted of women and gender non-conforming, or non-heterosexual individuals, living in Chicago, IL; Wichita, KS; Miami-Dade, FL; and Sacramento, CA, more than 65% said they had been harassed in areas or on routes that they frequented and their harasser was someone they recognized from their daily routines but did not know.  This seemingly small finding in my survey led me to look into the research of others on the same topic regarding metropolitan populations. I found that in large cities such as Boston, MA, 87% of those harassed were women, 90% were disabled, 90% were LGBTQ+, and 94% were people of color.  Indicative of what I felt I already knew: people harass those that are already systemically disenfranchised. Arguably to remind them of their powerless status in society.

Being in public can result in wonderful and exciting interactions or scary ones. It’s a shame that street harassment has to put so many of us on high alert.

Turquoise is a 26-year-old freelance journalist, a program manager at the Wichita Women’s Initiative Network, and a junior at Wichita State University. She is the founder of SHERO Coalition (SHERO Co) and you can follow her on twitter @anthroisms.

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Jordan: Taking up Space in the City

By

Minying Huang, Amman, Jordan, SSH Blog Correspondent

Photo of AmmanFor women in Amman, street harassment is a daily reality and, due to its prevalence, one to which many have grown de-sensitized. Though I still feel anger that it occurs, it’s frightening how easily I can brush off verbal and physical harassment and how little emotional impact it has on me now. Equally, I realize that life would be exhausting if I were to let every catcall, every grope, and every micro-aggression get to me.

My internal reactions to incidents of harassment were very different when I first moved here from the UK at the start of October of last year: after being felt up twice in one night in the streets of downtown Amman, I remember feeling acutely uncomfortable, ashamed, and angry at myself for having remained silent as wandering hands touched me, shielded from public view by shopping bags. Despite knowing that victims of harassment shouldn’t have to feel shame or guilt for what is done to them, I couldn’t shake my unwarranted feelings of dirtiness and humiliation – showing that, on some level, I, along with many others, have internalized the damaging, socially-entrenched myths surrounding sexual harassment.

As a foreigner living here, and especially as a young woman of East Asian descent, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you are targeted for your racial difference and on account of common misconceptions regarding non-Arab women. Whilst this is certainly a factor that comes into play (and one that I hope to explore in future posts), it’s also clear that sexual harassment in Jordan is by no means solely limited to foreign women and it happens regardless of what you wear.

In 2012, a group of students at the University of Jordan created a short film titled ‘This is my privacy’ in an attempt to combat on-campus sexual harassment and draw attention to the issue. The original video was taken down but you can watch a re-uploaded version. It speaks volumes that Professor Rola Qawas, who supervised the making of the film, was dismissed from her post as Dean of the Faculty of Modern Languages after senior management deemed it a distorted representation of university life and an attack on the overall reputation of the university.

I’d like to emphasize that sexual harassment is a global phenomenon not exclusive to Jordan and the Middle East. I have encountered sexual harassment in the UK where I grew up; however, without wishing to generalize, I don’t think that it would be too far-fetched to suggest that cultural ideas of space and notions of “honor” perpetuate and intensify the problem here, reinforcing the adaptive behaviors women engage in to avoid putting themselves in vulnerable situations. As a result, men are able to continue exerting control over public spaces, and progress toward redefining these established boundaries is slow.

More often than not, sexual harassment is about power. In Jordan, where high youth unemployment is a major socio-economic concern, young people are becoming increasingly disillusioned with politics and worried about their future prospects. Restless, sometimes without the means to achieve independence and further their aspirations, the shabab – literal translation: ‘the youth’; commonly used to refer to young men in the streets – may be inclined to resort to expressions of dominance in communal areas in order to offset the sense of powerlessness found in other aspects of their life.

The question is: how do we bring this conversation into the public sphere without compromising the safety of those wishing to effect change? How do we promote the idea that public spaces are not male spaces but shared spaces accessible to people of all genders? The social and legal framework here in Jordan fails to protect women from harassment. Instead, society attaches stigma and shame to the victims. The law does not explicitly condemn the act, with lawmakers neglecting to clearly define the crime. The law states that offenders can be punished for committing violations against “modesty” and “humanity”, but the use of such nebulous and subjective terminology makes it difficult for victims of harassment to actually achieve justice.

The repercussions of speaking out impose a culture of silence on Jordanian society. Few people openly discuss the realities of sexual harassment, and those that do are subject to public criticism. Yet, in private spaces, the consensus is that something needs to be done to tackle the underlying causes of this recent phenomenon in response to a rapidly increasing number of Jordanian women setting foot outside the confines of the home and entering the public space. When a woman dares to occupy the public space and asserts her right to an equal share in it, the ownership of her body should not then be up in the air and up for grabs.

Minying is a 19-year-old British-born Chinese student from Cambridge, England. She is studying for a BA in Spanish and Arabic at Oxford University and is currently on her Year Abroad in Amman, Jordan. You can follow her on Twitter @minyingh.

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USA: Welcome to Campus: Peer-to-peer sexual harassment

By

Hope Herten, IL, USA, SSH Blog Correspondent

According to an informal study conducted by the organization Hollaback! in 2015, nearly 67% of female students experienced some sort of sexual harassment on campus.  This figure may seem shocking, but what I find the most disturbing is that despite research and meek attempts to curb catcalling and other forms of sexual harassment, this number has remained stagnant for years.  In 1996, a study was published that looked at two different colleges, reporting the 68% of the women in their study had experienced sexual harassment on campus, not only walking between classes, but many of them experiencing some sort of harassment by male peers while in class (Ivy & Hamlet).  Similarly, an extensive report published in 2005 by AAUW found that that two-thirds of their participants had experienced sexual harassment while at their university (Hill & Silva).  The 2005 study reported that the top three reasons student gave for harassing their peers were (1) “I thought it was funny”, (2) “I thought the person liked it”, and (3) “it is just a part of school life/ a lot of people do it/ it is no big deal”.

As a female college student in Chicago, I expected that I would experience harassment, but I never imagined that my peers would be the ones harassing me or my friends.  During her freshman year, a friend of mine experienced frequent harassment from a random guy in our university’s commons. To avoid that constant harassment, she had to go out of her way to avoid him in ways that made her own life much harder. Now that she’s in her third year, she is still occasionally approached by him on campus, whether he is following her to the bathroom or asking her out. To be faced with this issue not once, not twice, but multiple times from the same person is unacceptable. She says that she rarely feels threatened by him, but the frequent harassment is an additional unnecessary nuisance to her day.  She is not the only one of my friends who faces harassment on campus, whether it is the hallways, the quad, the student union, or even the classroom; many female students at my university face this frequent hurdle in their pursuit of academic success.

The deep-rooted integration of technology has been a blessing and a curse. Though more people have a voice on the internet and information is more readily available, it has opened a new door for sexual harassment on campus. Social media accounts meant for anonymous submissions of confessions and crushes at my university have allowed for a new avenue of harassment. Many women on campus have been publicly shamed and objectified using these platforms, with no repercussions for the men submitting them. One student complained about appearing on these Twitter accounts multiple times; one of the posts was even commenting on the clothes she wore to the gym and calling her a “sexy babe”.  Students should be able to go to public places on campus and feel comfortable walking around or working out without the fear of being talked about publicly, and anonymously, online.

Women have been experiencing harassment on campuses for decades across the country, both at public and private, big and small, and religiously-affiliated or secular institutions.  It seems that no matter how committed an institution is to providing the best education possible, this one issue is constantly put on the back burner.

All students, regardless of gender, sexuality, race, or ability, deserve their right to pursue their education in a place where they are valued and respected parts of the community. From personal experience, I know that it is difficult to focus on school when you are nervous about going to specific places at certain times, if you don’t want to go to class because of that one man who won’t leave you alone, or, now because of technology, fear being called out online for participating in a wide array of activities from going to the gym or drinking at a party.  College is a place to grow as a person intellectually, spiritually, and socially; everyone deserves to feel safe pursuing that education.

What can we do to draw attention to this issue and push administrators to action?  Once we have the critical mass to create change, what concrete strategies do we have to stop harassment?

Hope is a full-time undergraduate student studying public health and Spanish in Chicago, IL. During her time in Chicago, Hope has participated in many protests and events trying to call awareness to women’s issues on campus and in the broader Chicago community. Follow her on Twitter @hope_lucille or check out her public health blog.

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