Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Two Days Until Anti-Street Harassment Week!

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Dear Friends,
Even though many of us are minimally in public spaces right now, it doesn’t mean street harassment isn’t happening. In addition to a rise in anti-Asian, xenophobic harassment in parts of the world, when gender-based street harassment occurs right now, it can feel even scarier.

This Washington, DC, woman articulates it well in the personal story she told about a man following her down an empty street, “As a woman who has lived in big cities for most of my life, I’m used to street harassment. Street harassment during this pandemic is a whole ‘nother thing — there’s the extra fear of someone getting close to you, more fear when there aren’t witnesses, more fear when you can’t rush into an open store for help because most of the stores are closed.”

Activists in places like the UK, France and Argentina are suddenly getting an uptick in these kinds of stories too and are collecting more for our 10th International Anti-Street Harassment Week, April 19-25.

We, too, are collecting stories to share on our blog next week to raise awareness that even during a pandemic, street harassment occurs! Share yours here.

Planned Actions!
Share your planned actions here!

Here are some preliminary actions shared with us.

For instance, Paremos el Acoso Callejero and PLAN Peru will hold a virtual forum “Sexual Harassment: Neither Street nor Virtual” (in Spanish) on 18 April, 10 am. to 1 p.m. UTC. More Info.

Participate!
Participation in the Week is, as always, open to your ideas. Here are four virtual options to do, starting in just TWO DAYS, on Sunday:

  1. Go online to share your stories and information about street harassment using the hashtag #StopStreetHarassment across the week! Join the Sayfty tweet chat on April 20 at 11:30 a.m. EST / 3:30 pm UTC. #Sayftychat

  2. Create a short video completing the phrase, ““If street harassment didn’t exist, I would….” and post it online, tagging @StopStHarassmnt and @CatCallsofNYC. Let us know what a world without street harassment would look like to you.
  3. Use chalk outside your home or pen/paper to write anti-harassment messages / pro-respect messages, take photos of the messages and share the photos online, tagging @StopStHarassmnt and/or using #stopstreetharassment.
  4. Review information about standing up to street harassers, produced by Hollaback! and L’Oreal Paris. There will be a free virtual Zoom training on standing up to harassers offered by them and Sayfty on April 24, 4pm UTC/12pm EST in English. You must pre-register.

You are not alone right now – we are together.

In Solidarity,
Holly Kearl

Stop Street Harassment Founder & CEO

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Free Workshops in Harlem in Sept. & Oct.

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SSH is supporting the New York-based Sydnie L. Mosley Dances’ The Window Sex Project Community Workshop presented in collaboration with I, Too Arts Collective on Sept. 14 and Oct. 16 (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.).

Harlem women and genderqueer folks ages 18-40 are invited to participate in a FREE workshop rooted in movement, storytelling, discussion and healthy living. Use your voice and movement to respond to street harassment. Fellowship with others living in your community. RSVP + more info.

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Making History at the Women’s March on Washington

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Around 500,000 women and male allies marched in Washington, D.C. today — and 3 million marched around the world.

We know so many of you were part of that number and we thank you for showing up and taking a stand!! We had board members marching in Washington, D.C. but also in Los Angeles and Minneapolis, too.

In Washington, D.C., due to the massive crowd size, many of us who wanted to march together never found each other, but we had a small but mighty contingent. A big highlight was when our youngest marcher Susie — my cousin’s five-year-old daughter — got to meet her hero Katy Perry, who was marching by us. She got to say hi to Katy who graciously chatted with her for a minute and told her this was her first march, too. Susie handed her one of the Stop Street Harassment stickers!

Overall, it was incredible to see the range of diversity of people there, to hear how far people had come to be there, and to witness so much kindness. Everywhere we went it was so so crowded but no one was pushy, mean or aggressive. Everyone helped everyone. All of the Metro staff and police officers we encountered were kind and encouraging and we thanked them as we went by. On the metro, there was continuing rounds of cheering and chants and we marched and chanted as we slowly moved through lines to get above ground. I was also excited to see our anti-harassment Metro ads at the four different Metro stations I used!! Yes!!

Thank you so so much to everyone who came out. Now we have to keep up the momentum and hold our elected officials accountable, run for political office, stand up to bullies and hate, and be kind to one another.

 

 

 

 

 

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New Play: Might Never Happen

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Might Never Happen DL Flyer (2) (1)-page-002 copyFrom the streets to the theatre

The London-based, all woman theatre company Dollseye Theatre have been working with street harassment researcher Dr. Fiona Vera-Gray and masculinities researcher Dr. Maria Garner to translate key themes from their work for the stage. Might Never Happen, directed by Amy Ewbank, is a piece written by the company, to explore various aspects and perspectives of street harassment from the ridiculous to the terrifying.

The first performances will be in London, at the Kings Head Theatre in Angel in May 2016 as an extension of International Anti-Street Harassment Week. A post-performance Q&A will be held on the 2nd of May and the 9th of May, featuring speakers from the Women’s Equality Party, Hollaback London, Purple Drum, Rape Crisis and more.

For Dates and to book tickets please see The King’s Head Website here.

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