I remember earlier this year I had went to a local drug store to pick up Easter candy because I saw a sale in the paper. It was a very cold day and so I dressed appropriately (scarf around neck, downcoat, hoodie,etc). When I entered the small store a new guy was working there and was standing in the crossroads of the many aisles. He began staring at me while he talked on his phone and I got butterflies in my stomach, so I decided not to walk forward. I took another aisle which circled around him, I passed him and he started at me again in my direction.

This happened about three more times. I couldn’t find the candy section so I went to the cash register lady. She pointed in the correct direction and proceeded. When I finally got the the aisle, I saw that the new guy had moved to it. I ignores him as I browsed through the section. He said, “come here” in a whisper. He inched closer and put his phone down as his eyes centered on m e. He asked, “How are you?” I think I may have just nodded.

Then he whispered, “I’ve seen you outside with your face all covered up with your scarf and your headphones on before,” as he invaded my personal space and his face inched closer to mine. I turned around to the opposite section. He followed and said “You need some help ?” I told him no, quickly grabbed the items and went to checkout. His whole aura screamed creepy.

– B

Location: City Center, Philadelphia, PA

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I was walking to my train along a main road. I thought today I shouldn’t get anyone harassing me from cars – even though it’s summer I’m wearing a suit jacket buttoned up, knee-length skirt plus a scarf so these idiots know I am not interested in their opinions on my outfit.

However even over my headphones (which I use as a blocker) the White Van Man’s whistle still gets through.

I mean come on, do I look like a DOG?  Pathetic.

– SJJ

Location: Treforest, Wales, UK

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My friend and I were on a train at about 2 p.m. last week. There were two people across from us and a man behind them. As my friend was talking, I glanced away and saw that the man was looking at me–he looked right into my eyes–while vigorously masturbating.

My heart started pounding and I told my friend not to look but something terrible was happening on the train. She asked me if we should try to get away from where we were, but there was no way to get away except to walk past the man. As the train started slowing down at the next stop, we decided to move toward the other end of the car where there were more people. I couldn’t think of anything but getting as far away from this person as possible.

When I got up I wasn’t thinking, and my phone and sunglasses, which had been on my lap, fell on the floor right in front of the man. I scrambled to pick them up as the train came to a stop and the man picked up my sunglasses and tried to hand them to me. I was so disgusted that I backed away and couldn’t look at him and my friend took the glasses, still not aware of what the man had done. He got off at that stop.

My friend was really sensitive about the whole thing and I was glad to be with her. She didn’t brush it off or pretend nothing happened, but neither of us knew what to do. The first and only other person I’ve told responded by laughing and saying “people are animals.” (When he realized that the experience upset me, he was kinder, but I haven’t wanted to talk about it since then.)

What upsets me most is that the image of this man’s penis and his horrible stare keeps coming into my mind at random times. I can’t escape that thought now–I can’t run away from what he did. And each time I’ve waited for a train or bus, I’ve worried that I would get on and find this man standing there, staring at me, smiling, his hand moving back and forth behind his briefcase.

– KS

Location: Brown Line train, Chicago, IL

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I visited NYC for the first time a few days ago. I’m a 17 yr old from Pittsburgh, PA, and I had never really experienced street harassment. Rarely, someone will honk at you, a rouge boy will yell but Pittsburghers don’t really talk on the street, it’s frowned upon, yelling gets you glares.

NYC was…. appalling. Guys will yell nasty things, a homeless man got close enough to me to whisper “youre pretty as fuck” and then I quickly walked away before he could continue. Older men came up to me telling me I was beautiful, and would not go away when I clearly said fuck off. I was standing with my mother in Times Square, and a man got in kissing distance said, “Hey pretty lady lemme talk”

I said fuck off, my mother said fuck off, and he told me that if I just get in his car, give him my number, I could be a model. Oddly enough it was the stares that were the worst. Men of all ages would just stare keep making eye contact, doing all sorts of shit with their eyes.

The most terrifying instance was the subway at night. No, it wasnt the boy who leered at me and whispered nasty things, it was the old white man, old enough to be my grandpa.

I was standing on the R train with my mother and he started staring at me then moving closer. My gut told me I needed to move, now. I moved away and he followed and began whistling this weird little tune and got louder and followed me. He walked past, up and down me, nodding and laughing and whistling. I wish I had the words to describe the vibe. This guy was rapist serial killer crazy, the kind of eyes you have nightmares, gave me the kind of gut feeling that something will go wrong. Terribly wrong. He kept getting closer, leering whistling and laughing. Finally his N train came. He saw I wasn’t getting on, got off whistled one last time and laughed. He walked away towards me, but by the grace of god, got on another train. I can’t describe the terror. I wish I had a video of this man. I honestly thought that was it.

– LP

Location: NYC

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