Alicia Wallace, Nassau, The Bahamas, Blog Correspondent

The people of The Bahamas have recently come to terms with the fact that a new festival is being brought to the country. While it is the source of great debate, a Trinidad-inspired carnival will take place in May 2015 to the dismay of many loyal practitioners and fans of the Bahamian Junkanoo parade. In impassioned exchanges on the topic of Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival – a name meant to appease Junkanooers – much of the focus is put on the women of The Bahamas and the costumes designed for them to wear.

The Bahamas Christian Council, as expected, made bold, sweeping statements about the festival, zeroing in on the “immodest costumes” and the sexual violence they would inspire. Dr. Ranford Patterson said, “We are of the view that the promotion of immodest costumes, such as those displayed for use in the upcoming Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, will not only promote promiscuity, but fornication, rape, incest, and other sins of the flesh as well.”

As Director of Hollaback! Bahamas, I have serious concerns about carnival, especially given the high rate of street harassment experienced here. Those concerns, however, do not outweigh or erase the right every woman has to participate in the festival, free of judgment, shame, and acts of sexual violence.

Dr. Ranford Patterson does not seem to have taken the time or council necessary to consider the dangers of his statement. He has made assumptions which are now, quite likely, born by many others who under his – and the Bahamas Christian Council’s – influence. It is unfortunate that people in positions of power rarely recognize the responsibility that accompanies influence.

The statement made on behalf of the Bahamas Christian Council is problematic on many levels. There is far too much to address at once, so let’s focus on the views on rape presented.

The statement suggests that rape is sex or, at the very least, is about sex. It is shocking and disappointing that sex and rape are still being confused. Far too often we see newspaper articles referring to statutory rape as “sex with a minor”. Far too often we see rape being called “unlawful sex”. It is unclear whether this is due to a fear of the word, or discomfort with the truth that lies within it.

The difference between sex and rape is clear. Sex requires consent while rape is a violation. Rape is about power and control – not sexual desire.

Dr. Ranford Patterson played the blame game in his statement. He suggested that victims are at fault, and perpetrators are helpless beings. He is completely misguided, perpetuating the myth that acts of sexual violence are caused by clothing, or lack thereof.

Rape has never been caused by physical environments, music, dancing, or costumes. The only common denominator in cases of rape is the rapist. It is, therefore, crystal clear, that the only entity guilty of rape is the rapist.

The Bahamas Christian Council’s statement is misleading as it suggests the blame for rape should rest with the victim based on the choices made by the victim. As a body with tremendous power and influence, it should recognize its responsibility and the necessity of making consultations and seeking the advice of experts before making public statements. The burden is now on civic organizations to repair the damage done by the Bahamas Christian Council. It is our duty to ensure that:

–       Sexual assault victims are not blamed

–       The distinction is made between sex and rape

–       Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival is not used as a scapegoat for acts of sexual violence

–       The free will and ability to make decisions of perpetrators is recognized

–       Women have the rights to dress as they wish

–       Women have the right to participate in festivals without the threat of sexual assault

–       Women have the right to participate in festivals, free of the idea that they are “asking for it”

As Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival – scheduled for May – draws near, Hollaback! Bahamas will be active and vocal in the community. The Bahamian people must be educated on consent and body autonomy. We cannot allow organizations to spew ignorance, hatred, or unfounded claims under the guise of morality. Our people must have the freedom to dress, move, and participate in festivals as they see fit. No door should be shut on a woman because of her sex, and no perpetrator should slip into the shadows because the spotlight is trained on a woman’s costume. We will not be silent. As educated people with clear understanding of the issues at hand, we must not allow our voices to be drowned out by the less enlightened. As their voices rise, so shall ours, in greater than equal measure.

Alicia is a freelance writer and public educator in Nassau, Bahamas. You can connect with her on Twitter (@_AliciaAudrey and on her blog.

Madison Ford, Texas, USA, Blog Correspondent

Although the fight against street harassment has been gaining strength over the past few years, some areas are only beginning to get organized. Metropolitan regions in the upper east coast of the United States receive a lot of attention in regard to this issue and most data on street harassment has been collected in such areas. Regions of the world and the United States without a lot of foot traffic or public transportation may overall have fewer instances of street harassment, but they are just as damaging.

My first personal experience with street harassment happened in a town with less than 40,000 people. Ever since then, I’ve been trying to bring the fight against street harassment to Texas. I gained a Texan ally when I spoke with Hermie Escamilla of Hollaback Houston and learned about transportation, social media, and building a community of people to get organized.

Transportation

Transportation is a big part of street harassment in Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States. Cars and trucks are popular in Harris County with about 80% of county residents driving to work. Just under 3% of Harris County’s population uses public transportation to get to work and less than half a percent ride their bikes. Compare this with approximately 28% of New York City commuters driving a car, 56% using public transportation, and .8% riding their bicycles. Hermie tells me about her experience as a Houston cyclist:

“Since 2006 I’ve just commuted by bike. For me, being part of that subset of cyclists – you can get the feeling of what it means to be an irritation – everyone is supposed to be in a car or a truck, why are you in my way on your bike? For cyclists it’s sort of a twofold harassment; people are run off the road, intimidated, add in being a woman and that’s when the sexual comments show up. The stalking.”

Hollaback Houston’s website, where those who have experienced street harassment can report the incident to the community, is filled with tales of pedestrians and cyclists being harassed by people in cars.

“In Texas, less people have a stake in this issue because of the high number of motorists that aren’t experiencing [street harassment] as frequently.”

Social Media

Connecting with cycling organizations would help in the fight against street harassment not just in Texas; for Hermie, it was the Facebook page of a cycling group in LA that got her involved in Hollaback in the first place. Like many of us, Hermie got involved in the movement through social media.

“When I was looking down at the comments on a photo someone had posted about the LA chapter of Hollaback. Coming across Hollaback is what allowed me to have the language to speak about street harassment; that was a term I didn’t use until I started visiting their website. I didn’t have a word for it or a means to reach out or read about other people’s experiences with it. Having the reach that the internet allows us is what really helps us spread the message far and wide to anyone that wants to see it or maybe doesn’t want to see it.”

In a huge state like Texas without a large number of vocal activists against street harassment, connecting over the Internet is vital to increasing awareness. I would never have found Hermie were it not for my own use of social media.

Community

But the value of social media goes far beyond the boundaries of the Lone Star State; people around the country and the world have been connecting over the web in activist efforts. There’s a strong foundation, but those who hope to end street harassment need to continue building community as the issue receives more public attention. When I asked Hermie what her short and long term goals were for Hollaback Houston, she told me her first priority was being able to grow her team.

“I think that’s both a short term and long term goal. For me that was the most daunting thing – I was the only chapter in Texas and this is a huge state. There’s a chapter in Lubbock and I reached out to them but I’ve never really been alone in this – I have the network to reach out to. I would hope to see more sites pop up in Texas. I want to get more people so there’s more variety in our message. That’s all we want to do – empower and provide support. And prove that this is a problem.”

Whether you’re in Texas or halfway across the world, there are always people you can connect with. Learn from other members of the street harassment network and figure out what makes your community unique. The movement is growing – get involved!

“Any contribution is important. It could be a share on Facebook, writing a piece on your blog or creating a video – take inventory of your personal skills and know that anything you do matters so much. All of these little things add up and increase awareness.”

Madison is a soon-to-be graduate of the University of Texas at Austin studying literature and sociology. Follow her on Twitter, @madiford222.