Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming
Watch as the Safe Horizon Safe Harbor Student Leaders speak out about their right to feel safe on the streets, with help from Rachel Henes and Rebecca Forlenza. (Via the Hollaback Youtube Channel)
On the Stop Street Harassment website, you can access information about the events that led to the 2010 New York City Council hearing and watch portions of the testimonies given during the hearing.
Note: Stop Street Harassment helped organize an Our Streets, Too, march and rally against street harassment in Washington, DC. Holla Back DC! was another co-organizer and this is their wrap-up of the events. The photos are courtesy of my partner.
Cross-posted from Holla Back DC!
What we love about DC is that it can be so unpredictable!! With only two weeks of preparation, and all the organizers organizing via email, we were scared if anyone would show up. The rally, Our Streets, Too! A Big Queer/Feminist/Allies Street Fest, started off at SunTrust plaza on 18th and Columbia. We never realized, until yesterday, under the blazing sun, how there really aren’t many places in DC to gather that aren’t related to parks (which, let’s be real, are mostly dog parks). People started making signs, assisting with the incredible banner, and sharing their stories of harassment.
Then at 2P, Batala started playing. If you haven’t heard them, man, you are missing out on an amazing group of sisters who can really rock a drum. Everyone was dancing and enjoying themselves, while more people started gathering.
Curious onlookers asked, “What is this about? Why are people gathering?” And, fliers went out to them with volunteers talking about street harassment in DC towards women and LGBTQ individuals. Watching and listening to some of these bystanders say, “Yeah, harassment does happen and it really shouldn’t,” made the rally planning and stress worth it.
Around 2:30, the march started down 18th Street. A la Rob Lowe on Parks and Recreation, we literally stopped traffic, as the march took over the streets. It was amazing. MPD stopped the protest a few times, but, no one was arrested and they didn’t give us much push back.
e then walked up a set of stairs towards a group of people who were placing the anti-harassment banner on an over hang. He told them to take it down, and when all individuals left, he followed the two women and started yelling at them to take down the banner. He then proceeded to ask for their IDs, which they gave over, and detained them without telling them what they did wrong.Lauren, from Defend Yourself, did a wonderful workshop which concluded the protest and rally. 
Seeing so many people gather in support of raising awareness on street harassment, stopping traffic, and getting some skills on how to address the harassment was a great way to start the summer.
Many thanks to the supporters and friends of Holla Back DC! who came out to the rally!
If you were at the rally or wanted to be, and feel inspired to get more involved in this issue, please fill out this volunteer form and we’ll get back to you!
(Sorry – a day late this week!) Read stories, news articles, blog posts, and tweets about street harassment from the past week and find relevant announcements and upcoming street harassment events.
Street Harassment Stories:
I accept street harassment submissions from anywhere in the world. Share your story! You can read new street harassment stories on the Web from the past week at:
Street Harassment in the News, on the Blogs:
Mideast Youth, “Sexual Harassment in Egypt (Part I: The Bad and the Ugly)“
Mideast Youth, “Sexual Harassment in Egypt (Part II: The Good News)“
Essence, “Sound-Off: The Heat Brings Waves of Sexual Harassment“
Alternet, “Eight Ways Men and Boys Are Helping to End Gender-Based Violence“
Ivy Says, “An Hour In A Lebanese Woman’s Heels“
Clutch Magazine, “Summertime Street Harassment, How Do You Handle It?“
Stop Street Harassment, “Dear Prudence, Street Harassment is Not Okay“
Jezebel, “Will You Miss Catcalls When You’re Old?“
Bitch Magazine Blog, “Takin’ it to the Streets: Class-ifying Street Harassment“
Service Women’s Action Network, “Hey Baby, Let Me See a Smile!“
Newsworks, “‘Hollaback’ strikes back at harassment”
The Sydney Morning Herald, “Egypt embarks on a sexual revolution“
Al Masry Al Youm, “The Sexual Harassment File: Can culture be blamed?“
Bikyamasr, “Another face in the crowd: Sexual harassment in Egypt“
The Telegraph, “One-stop solution for every gripe – Call centre with GIS to make debut, tender floated“
ABC News, “Feature film tackles sexual harassment in Egypt“
Announcements:
New:
* Activists in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and Sudan led a day against sexual harassment through blogging and tweeting (with the hashtag #EndSH) on June 20 (and part of June 19 for those of us in the USA)
* On June 26, 2 p.m., activists in Washington, DC, will be marching to remind people that these are Our Streets, Too, and street harassment should end!
* There’s a new anti-street harassment group in Sri Lanka
Reminders/On-Going:
* The Window Sex Project is June 25, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and it’s a FREE street harassment event for Harlem women ages 18-35.
*Learn about and help fund Hollaback’s bystander campaign, “I’ve Got Your Back“
* Sign Mend the Gap’s petition to address subway harassment in Delhi, India
* Help fund the Hey, Shorty! on the road book tour to end gender-based violence in schools and on the streets.
* College students, enter the Hollaback essay contest, entries due August 1.
* Are you in Egypt? Use HarassMap to report your street harassers
* Have an iPhone? Download the Hollaback iPhone app that lets you report street harassers
15 Tweets from the Week:
1. ohbendorf I’m sick and tired– of the street harassment experienced by women, trans and queer folks, and POC.
2. shani_o Love capping off my day with a healthy dose of street harassment
3. galuk1 @Cristalzheat Street harassment sucks. Any man who thinks they have a right to comment on a woman’s body can walk out into traffic.
4. kayleesays Street harassment in Maine: When the same car drives by four times because you’re sunbathing.
5. PoshBirdGabi Company working on new Moore’s store @ Dunfield & Eglinton engages in #streetharassment. See pic http://yfrog.com/kl1eckj
6. danabalicki Every kind of transportation malfunction topped off by #streetharassment BS. #awesome
7. Fleegull Amazing that a woman who has experienced street harassment has the nerve to tell other women that the harassment they receive is positive.
8. khellonmars I have resolved how I will battle street harassment: saying quietly to myself, “God Bless You.” Brings me peace.
9. BluDissertation Last night, coming home, I had to walk fast, keep my mean mug on, and hold my purse tight. Street harassment is NO joke.
10. DonnaeWahl So, before you start making my Sunday unpleasant, ask yourself, who would Jesus street harass? #streetharassment
11. Sarahcarr Gentlemen of the world: do any of u think that women enjoy verbal harassment from strangers in the street? Be honest.
12. hkearl Happy Father’s Day to all the great anti-street harassment male allies, including my dad! male ally resources: http://tinyurl.com/3levfzw
13. MAswad I honestly believe that to #EndSh, women need to stand up for their rights, shout, fight, and kick the harasser’s ass. Simple.
14. PoshBirdGabi Called cops re #streetharassment by construction workers on my street. Cops went and cautioned them.
15. nasawiya Tomorrow, #Lebanon bloggers & tweeps join #Egypt #Syria and #Sudan to raise awareness about sexual harassment. Join in! #EndSH
Read stories, news articles, blog posts, and tweets about street harassment from the past week and find relevant announcements and upcoming street harassment events.
Street Harassment Stories:
I accept street harassment submissions from anywhere in the world. Share your story! You can read new street harassment stories on the Web from the past week at:
Street Harassment in the News, on the Blogs:
PBS Need to Know, “Safe and sexy: The persona project“
AAUW Dialog, “Are the D.C. Streets Safe for Women at Night?“
HR Daily Advisor, “Evil HR Lady: Are Some Women Just Too Delicate For the Workplace?“
Guardian, “Argentinian writer sacked in sexism row“
Tiger Beatdown, “Hey Shorty! A Guide to Combating Sexual Harassment and Violence in Schools and on the Streets“
Announcements:
New:
Check out the NEW Stop Street Harassment website + blog + logo!
There’s a new study about sexual harassment and assault on public transportation in Serbia, Belgrade.
If you live in Atlanta, Georgia, take a MARTA survey so Hollaback Atlanta can better tackle harassment on public transportation
On-going:
Help fund the Hey, Shorty! on the road book tour to end gender-based violence in schools and on the streets.
College students, enter the Hollaback essay contest, entries due August 1.
Are you in Egypt? Use HarassMap to report your street harassers
Have an iPhone? Download the Hollaback iPhone app that lets you report street harassers
10 Tweets from the Week:
northsidechad Warm weather brings out street harassment in #yeg http://bit.ly/lHApak Remember guys, it’s OK to look, not leer. Otherwise, wear sunglasses
confessionality #ff @orrganic — Writer, cat lover, mom, cool chick. I’m glad she wrote the Vue article on street harassment so I could discover her.
talkingparcel Am I ‘up my own arse’ if I don’t like being beeped & leered at by white van men? I stuck my finger up at him #streetharassment #FUCKYOU #fb
wocgo @1360WCHL There was an ambulance going through campus hitting the siren at girls walking down the street. #streetharassment #sick
BangsandaBun East London street harassment squad to me earlier: ‘You’ve got legs for DAYS. You’re 1 of them supermodel types innit’
MadamJMo Why was it ok for a man to shout “you’ve got a sexy ass” at me, but not for me to reply “you’ve got an unsexy bald head”? #streetharassment
JulieSLalonde My interview about #streetharassment on Live885 aired this morning and it wasn’t too shabby. Grateful for the ability to spread the gospel!
natalieraymond Was just screamed at, called a racist, threatened, & followed by a piece of shit street harasser. #streetharassment
jes3ica Nothing like a little early morning street harassment to take a big dump on my mood
thatrachelgirl I realized that biking will bring on #streetharassment and makes me not want to. How sad is that?
Read stories, news articles, blog posts, and tweets about street harassment from the past week and find relevant announcements and upcoming street harassment events.
Street Harassment Stories:
I accept street harassment submissions from anywhere in the world. Share your story!
You can read new street harassment stories on the Web from the past week at:
Street Harassment in the News, on the Blogs:
Announcements:
New:
On-going:
10 Tweets from the Week: