I was a 19-year-old girl from a small town in the big city going to college.  I was already scared to death.  My apartment was six blocks from school and we walked every day.  Many times men shouted lewd things from cars or from construction jobs nearby.  It was a business college and we were required to wear dresses every day.

I always tried to walk to school as part of a group but one day during finals I was alone.  A car with several men in it drove by me slowly and shouted something about my “fine ass.'”  The went around the block and came by again slower, and shouted again, I was so scared, after they went by I ran the last couple of blocks in high heels.

I was 18 at the time, I’m 52 now and I can still remember this plain as day.  We do not or did NOT want the unwanted attention, it’s degrading, and inhumane!!  I felt like a piece of meat.

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

By doing just what you’re doing and what most of us wanted to do but were by ourselves and scared. Confront the person and let them know this is NOT ok. I am also a child sexual abuse survivor and it’s empowering to watch you tell someone this is NOT ok, I wanted to do that as a child and was too scared. Giving women power is a great thing.

– Lynn

Location: Downtown St. Louis, MO

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more ideas

I went out shopping with my family and we entered this really crowded shop. As I tried to squeeze in between people to get to the exit after finding what I had needed, a man came really close and invaded my personal space intentionally. He gave me a once over and then said ʺyou’re prettyʺ while staring at my breasts. I chose to ignore him, but as I went out from the shop, I felt really embarrassed. I was especially shocked by the fact that he acted that way even though he was a grown man (27 ish) and I was only 17. When I stepped out of the shop, I looked back, and there he was standing, and laughing at me, as if he was saying, “I just degraded you and there is nothing you can do about it.”

That laugh is what really set me off, so i stopped, turned around and screamed at the top of my lungs ʺYOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!!!!!ʺ needless to say, he was really shocked, as if he didn’t realize i actually had a voice and could stand up for myself. he then simply turned around and retreated back into the shop, and i felt very proud of the way i had reacted 🙂

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

We should raise awareness of the impact of street harassment on the victims and the way it makes them feel. We also have to teach the younger generations that it’s every human being’s right to feel safe wherever they go, and anyone who tries to change that is going to be punished by the law.

– Eya

Location: Nabel/Tunisia

Anyone like poetry? Venessa Marco, a slam poet, just wrote and performed this poem called “Patriarchy” that addresses street harassment at the 2014 Women of the World Poetry Slam. At this slam, 72 female poets from around the world compete for the honor of being the WoWPS champion.

Via Bustle:

“Although Marco didn’t nab the champion spot, her work still speaks very strongly of the constant sexual harassment and assault women from across the globe face…Work like Marco’s illuminates sexual harassment for what it is: a seemingly casual comment or touch that can be burned into a woman’s memory.”

Last month Lindsey, the creator of Cards Against Harassment, wrote about her project for our blog.

She’s handed out her cards to 25-30 harassers since then!

Via Buzzfeed:

“She believes her method isn’t for everyone or every situation, especially when personal safety is at risk. But for her, the experience has been an opportunity to tell a man something he may have never heard before.

“The theme I hear the most often is that they truly, genuinely think it’s a compliment. and they are shocked,” she said. “If that is true, then simply telling people it’s not a compliment may go a long way.”

The Buzzfeed article also posts videos Lindsey shot of her talking to some of her harassers. Note, the men’s reactions may be upsetting. Here is one of the videos –

WAY TO GO LINDSEY for providing us with an empowering way to talk back to our harassers and for exposing the mentality behind some of these men’s behavior.

My two friends and I were not old enough to drive, which is why we walked to the coffee shop three blocks from our building. A man walking towards us whistled our way. I responded, ʺ*uck you, we aren’t puppies.” He then asked, “Where is this sexy gaggle of girls going?”

– MM

Location: Minneapolis, MN

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more ideas