Last night I was out to dinner with my boyfriend. I stepped outside to smoke a cigarette and the guys who had been sitting next to us at the bar happened to be out front smoking a cigarette as well. I was looking at my phone but couldn’t help but hear one of the men say “watch this” as he began to approach me. I did not look up from my phone, did not acknowledge them at all, just walked to the other side of the front door so I was behind a sign.

The guys who were “supposed to watch this” we’re saying things like “ouch” to their friend. A couple moments pass and the man who seemingly tried to approach me starts yelling “and that bitch hiding behind the sign is OFFENSIVE! F***ING OFFENSIVE!” I did not acknowledge them one iota and walked back inside to continue my nice evening with my boyfriend.

Women live in two worlds. When I was beside my boyfriend at the bar I was his property. But 50 feet away, on the side walk alone I was just some bitch to be pursued.

– Hannah

Location: San Diego, CA

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I wanted to share with you how street harassment could have seriously injured or even killed my unborn child. The other night on my way out from picking up my food, I went to take a left out of the shopping center. I live in a fairly quiet suburban town. Especially late at night. So of course as I held my food in the seat next to me as this left turn happens to be very sharp, I did not expect to hear a loud man’s voice scream “Hey Sexy” The loud, unexpected voice took me off guard and I jumped unable in the fear of the moment to be able to determine where the voice came from.

For a split second I feared it came from inside the car. I lost control of the wheel and nearly ran into a cement road block. Thankfully I regained control in time. I had to pull over, angry at this man and crying at the thought of what could have happened. I hope this man saw me lose control of my vehicle because of his unnecessary remark.

I hope he thinks twice before ever being so disrespectful to a woman in such a manner.

– Amanda

Location: Cinnaminson, New Jersey, USA

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I was near my appointment time for an interview at CoStar, located at 1331 L St. NW, Washington, DC. A block away from the location, I walked in the wrong direction going north on 14th St NW. Unknown to me I passed a group of men in various work uniforms. One was a FedEx uniform. As I passed, I heard them mumbling in low tones and remarking that “I was pretty” and some laughter followed. I ignored them in order to stay focused on my interview.

I turned around when I realized I had gone in the wrong direction, and as I passed the group of men again I heard someone say, “Ma’am, do you need directions?” in a tone that echoed sexually harassing comments I had heard before. I kept walking. Then someone from the group said, “You’re not that pretty anyway.”

I then turned to the group and flipped my middle finger at them. They backed off and I went to my interview at CoStar. This interview came through an employment agency. Despite the harassing incident, I had a good interview with CoStar. I reported my interview experience to the employment agency and the agency found me to be a favorable candidate for this position. About an hour later, I received a call from the employment agency telling me that I was removed from consideration of this position because CoStar’s FedEx delivery person saw me at the interview. He reported that I flipped him off in response to his offensive remarks. I was told by the agency that although I would not be hired for the position I interviewed for, I would still be considered for other positions after checking the comfort level of her employees, though she implied that that comfort level would be low, leading me to believe that I would not receive future work from this agency.

– LMC

Location: 1331 L St. NW, Washington, DC

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While walking in NYC, I stopped to take a picture of wood work on a door. As I turned to leave, the uniformed doorman of the building told me I was blocking the door and had to leave. I actually thought he was kidding because I was leaving and there was no one else in the doorway or on the sidewalk at all. So I laughed, pointed this out, and took two steps away. That’s when he called me a bitch. I’ve never been called this name before — I am a middle-aged, elementary school teacher and this word is not in my expressive vocabulary. I turned back and he repeated himself. I moved closer to see the name on his tag and he told me his name was Patrick McKay, asked if I needed him to spell that for me and told me that he only had to be nice to the residents of the building.

He laughed at me and said, “Who are you going to complain to?” The answer, Mr. McKay, is anyone who will listen, including the management of your building the NYPD, the mayor’s office and any online source I can find. You may not speak to women so disrespectfully and expect no consequence.

– CBS

Location: The Greenwich Club Residents, NYC

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