Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Leg stroker in London

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Sitting on a bus a few years ago in London, a man next to me was reading his newspaper. He started stroking my leg under the newspaper. When I moved he stopped so I thought maybe I imagined it, but then he started again. I kept thinking he couldn’t be doing it, so it took me a while, but then I got up and moved seats. I was too shy and scared to make more of a fuss. He looked at me as he got off the bus as if I had enjoyed what he did.

– Rebecca

Location: Westminster, London, UK

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Find suggestions for what YOU can do about this human rights issue.

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Poem: “How about tonight, dark honey?”

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Cross-posted with permission from The Truth Shall Set Your Teeth Free

They said dark-skinned African prostitutes
Were all the rage in raging Egypt
A place I accused of being non-racist
But that was no excuse
For the man to put his hands on me
Or whistle from his car
“How about tonight, dark honey?”

At least that’s what I explained
To the policemen who saved them
From a possible neighborhood lynching

When they asked me why I bludgeoned his head
And black-eyed his friend
With my groceries.

– Sarah Abubakr, ‏ @Sarahkasm

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Help Fund Proposed Film “Turn Around”

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“One stalking man is enough to cause fear in a woman. But how many women are needed to cause fear in a man?”

This is a question that award-winning filmmaker Aćim Vasic, who is located in Paris, France, will address in his short film “Turn Around.”

He needs YOUR help to fund it. Visit his Indiegogo webpage to learn more about the film and to donate!!

“We’re making this film in order to raise the awareness about street harassment, that is a major issue across the world and affects many, many women. Many men don’t realize how it is to be a woman walking alone, especially in the night, turning around, feeling unsafe, the feeling of being hunted, listening to whistles and calls and hearing fallowing steps.”

“Turn Around” reflects on this problem in a metaphorical and hyperbolic way, trying to create awareness and consciousness in one man (the main character), and cause him to reconsider his attitude towards women as equal human beings and not sexual objects. And I hope that this film will help in creating this awareness in men all around the world.”

Hooray for male allies! I’m thrilled he’s not only taking on this issue but I appreciate how he wants to use his film-making talents to bring other men’s attention to this pervasive problem.

Again, if you can, please donate ($10 or more) to help him create this important film.

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“I really need to feel safe where I live, and I feel ok about speaking up”

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I was about to turn into the driveway of my apartment parking lot when a van very nearly backed up into me. I gave a quick toot of my horn, the van stopped, then backed up more, forcing me to back up out of the way, so I didn’t get hit. The automatic gate opened, and the van went in, followed by my car. I pulled into a spot, and got out with my shopping bags.

The van pulled up to a dumpster and a large man got out and picked through the trash. I said to him, “You might want to look behind you, you almost hit me.”

He turned and said, ” What? I can’t hear you what did you say?” I repeated my statement. He began to literally charge towards me. I considered running, but stood quietly, thinking he was hard of hearing. He stopped about 6 feet away and began to yell loudly at me about how my blinker wasn’t on, do I think I own the world, I should shut up, keep my mouth shut, don’t run my mouth, who do I think I am, and… he ranted on yelling all the while.

I said, ‘ I live here in this senior citizen complex. I have a right to be here.”

He is definitely under the 55 age limit. He may live with an older adult. The rules are pretty nebulous at times, according to the whims of the HOA. I asked him to stop yelling and, “Chill out.”

He kept yelling the same things at me, repeating himself. I told him he is rude and should have been taught by his mother how to be polite and treat women with respect. Then I turned my back and walked away while he was still yelling at passersby about the bitch who thinks she knows it all, etc.

I’m 60 years old and I’ve owned my senior condo here for two years, and except for having my bicycle stolen, I’ve felt pretty safe up to now. I’m really jittery tonight. I hate being bullied by men. I’m a survivor of child sexual abuse, and domestic abuse. I have been diagnosed with PTSD, and space out easily. I really need to feel safe where I live, and I feel ok about speaking up, but not about the bullying. I hate going into hyper alert mode where I’m supposed to be safe. It’s funny, I never thought about using my pepper spray, or threatening to call the cops. If he had come closer or reached for me, I would have reacted then.

– Jasmina

Location: Outside my building. Fullerton, CA

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem.
Find suggestions for what YOU can do about this human rights issue.

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EVAW’s efforts to make London the safest city for women in the world

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Will London become the safest city in the world for women?

Maybe!

This is the goal of the Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) Coalition in London and they’re working hard to make it happen.

And of course, the absence of street harassment and public sexual assault is a requirement for any safe city.

I recently chatted via skype with the EVAW director Holly Dustin and found out that they are working to address street harassment/harassment on public transportation and while these are relatively new issues for them, already they’re having a lot of success because it is such a big problem for women in London.

To gather data (we always need more research!!), they conducted a YouGov poll about harassment on the London public transportation system.

They write that the poll: “revealed that more than a quarter of women in London do not always feel safe while using public transport. Many survey respondents said they wanted action on station staffing, lighting and policing. Feeling unsafe puts many more women than men off using the buses and trains at certain times, or in certain places, and urgently needs addressing by the transport authorities and as such by the mayor. We received wide London media coverage for our findings which seemed to strike a chord.”

It even struck a chord with the candidates for Mayor of London. EVAW has successfully lobbied each one to pledge to improve women’s safety if elected, including by addressing sexual harassment and assault on public transportation. Here are the manifestos by candidates Siobhan Benita, Boris Johnson Ken Livingstone and Brian Paddick. Elections are this week.

This is the 10-point plan EVAW suggests the new Mayor will need to take on in order to make London the safest city for women.

Additionally, the 2012 Summer Olympics will be held in London and EVAW is working hard on a campaign to make sure the city IS safe for everyone during it.

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