I started training for a half marathon about two months ago. I run outside because I hate running on a treadmill, and my neighborhood is always busy. Men, usually older men, will stop and stare at me, turning around to watch as I run by. Sometimes they say things, sometimes they don’t, but it’s the intensity of their stares that really unnerves me. I keep my eyes forward and ignore them, but it makes me really unhappy to have to feel so uncomfortable in my neighborhood and as I’m trying to have a decent workout. Today I realized that I likely don’t even realize how much it’s happening, as a pause in between songs let me hear two men yelling loudly at me from across the street.

I just don’t understand what these men hope to accomplish by this behavior. Do they really expect me to stop my workout, take out my headphones, catch my breath, and engage with them? I try to look irritated and angle my body away from them, but don’t know how to make the whole situation less miserable.

– Anonymous

Location: Washington, D.C.

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Seven years ago, when I was 18, I went to Delhi to study. My hostel room-mate and I used to walk nearly half a kilometer from our hostel to the classes and back, daily. Once, on our way back from the classes, at around 4 p.m. (the road was bustling and it was still broad daylight), an empty mini bus slowed down next to us and started crawling at our pace. The conductor of the bus grinned at us and started asking where we were going. My room mate and I ignored him and kept walking. The bus continued crawling for about another two minutes, and the conductor kept on insisting that we board the bus. There were people around but no one seemed to be bothered by it. I bet no one would have cared even if one of us were forcefully pulled into the bus. We made sure we maintained our distance till the driver and the conductor lost interest and went off.

Another time, when my roommate and I were on our way back, at around 3 in the afternoon, we bought some fruits on the way. While walking we saw 2-3 young boys (8-11 years old) on their bicycles. The started laughing and racing towards us. One of them stretched his arm at me as he passed, and I swung the fruit bag away thinking that he’s trying to snatch it. I thought it was some silly game of theirs. We kept walking without bothering about those kids, till suddenly he came from behind and smacked me on my butt!! That’s when we realized that they had no interest in our belongings. They were sexually harassing us!!

Young boys, hardly 10 years old, already harassing women?!! They probably don’t even know why they are doing it. They just learn from their surroundings and absorb this kind of behavior from the men around them. I was so shocked that I didn’t know how to react. I shudder to think what horrors these little kids will be capable of, once they grow into men…

S. K.

Location: Janakpuri, New Delhi, India

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I’m an exchange student from the USA currently in Ecuador, a beautiful country for its nature and culture. However, like many countries, there is also a strong “rape culture.” Spanish speakers would call the country “Machista”. Here, it is disgustingly common (and socially acceptable) for men to cat call the women and treat them like they are less than human beings.

To be honest, when I experienced a cat call for the first time here, I admit, I thought it was funny and kind of flattering. I thought, ‘Hey, they actually think I’m pretty.’ That was the last time I thought that. Every time I walk to the bus stop, I am honked at by men behind steering wheels and cars full of boys who whistle and shout things at me. The scariest is when I am just walking home at dusk with thoughts occupying my mind and all of a sudden, a deafening honk from a truck makes me jump out of my reverie and into a world where it’s funny to scare teenage girls walking by themselves. I’ve seen the faces of fully grown men, laughing to each other when they see I glance at the oncoming vehicle that beeped at me. I have learned to not look up.

I have never given the middle finger to anyone in my life, but one day, I thought it would be an interesting experiment to see someone’s reaction. As I was walking to the bus as usual, a truck with two men passed by, with the head of the passenger sticking out as he called to me. He said words like cute and pretty and I flipped him off. My heart was racing but I kept eye contact with him as his face fell into a kind of dumb stupor. The look of an excited boy who doesn’t understand why he’s gotten socks for Christmas. Later, I felt a panic. ‘What if they turn around? What if they kidnap me?’ It may have been an overreaction, but the fact that those possibilities enter my mind when I’m just walking on the sidewalk shows that this beautiful country isn’t as beautiful as it seems.

I shouldn’t have to carry a whistle in my bag. (Even though my best Ecuadorian friend tells me, even if you blew that whistle, no one would do anything. That is my culture.) I shouldn’t have to think about all the possible ways to defend myself with the rocks and shards of glass on the sidewalk.

I started a “Cat Call Count” on my computer, but lost count after I lost my spirit. I didn’t want to tally the honks and the “complements” anymore.

I know blonde people are a little scarce in this country, but it is no excuse to treat me like some zoo animal. The stares and shouts are unwanted and they don’t even notice.

– AKB

Location: Quito, Ecuador

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Hello, I just wanted to share a couple of my experiences of street harassment:

When I was younger (about 13 yrs) I was walking with my mom to a gas station nearby, while we were crossing a parking lot, a pick up truck came from behind us and drove in a circle around us a few times.They never tried to talk to us, they just circled slowly and then drove away.

Another time (I was about 16 at this point) I was walking home with a friend and my brother, we crossed the same parking lot and these guys pulled up in a car and one of them shouted “show us your tits!”

I was just shocked and ignored them, my friend yelled “f*** you!” , the guy said, “Show us your tits” again and yelled a couple of other things. (I don’t remember what), they eventually gave up and drove off.
These experiences made me feel uncomfortable and like I’m only seen as only an object instead of a human being. I really hope that all street harassment comes to an end.

Love and best wishes to all the women and men out there who know what it feels like to experience any type of harassment.

– Anonymous

Location: Parking lot

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