My sorority sister took me dancing for my birthday. The DJ played a song I really liked and I danced with a guy to the song. At the end of the night, he asked for my number. I said no. I’m married. He said you better give me your number or I’ll bite you in your back.

– KD

Location: A bar

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See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more ideas

this is for the person who has to smile
or shake their head
or walk faster
because of a follower who wants
to be
that person
who meets people
who women love
who doesn’t answer texts right away and
repeats lines from that actor and succeeds
in front of friends
in front of the street
and is recognized, validated
I’m a success,
people like me

colour by Elian

words by Liam Lachance, a writer at wordandcolour.com, who was inspired to write this piece after witnessing street harassment on a daily basis in Montréal, Québec.

Cross-posted with permission

Every day whenever I go to work and as I walk to the corner of our street to ride a jeepney, there will always be different men who will look at me and tell me “Good morning, Idol.”or “Good morning, baby.'” or “Ingat ka babe.” (Take care, babe) Sometimes they will really come right next to me to whisper those things and it makes me angry but I cannot do something.

Optional: Do you have any suggestions for dealing with harassers and/or ending street harassment in general?

I want to be able to do a flyering near at our area, do an online ad to have those people to be aware that what they are doing is wrong.

– Kat G

Location: La Loma, Quezon City, Philippines

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See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more ideas

I take the bus every day to and from work. One day as I was waiting for the bus, this much older man that was waiting at the same stop turned to me and said, “You probably get this a lot, but you’re really beautiful.” I didn’t bother responding, because this type of thing happens a lot when I’m on or waiting for the bus, and saying anything at all only seems to encourage conversation.

Usually if I ignore the person, they stop bothering me, but not this time. The man made a few more attempts to get my attention, and then got angry, and pulled out his phone and made a call to some friend, who he very loudly complained to about “this b*tch” who was ignoring him. “This b*itch” was repeated frequently and loudly, and he would keep glancing over to see if I was paying attention to this.

I was very angry and even more concerned about who he could possibly be talking to and what that would mean for me. He was still on the phone and I was still debating the best course of action when my bus pulled up. He must have been taking a different one, as he did not get on.

– Anonymous

Location: Public Square, Cleveland, Ohio

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See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more ideas

I was standing on canal street. I was wearing a sundress and listening to music. A guy walked by and shouted, “Oh, wee, look at red (I’m light skinned). She got long hair and a fat ass too.” All of the white people turned to look at me. I wished that the ground would open up and swallow me.

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

I think there should be more bicycle cops patrolling the French Quarter.

– KDP

Location: New Orleans, LA

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