There is a man who loiters in front of the Rosslyn metro station on Fort Meyer Drive that harasses women every morning. He makes inappropriate comments, leers, jeers and comments on how we look. Everything from “Wow you’re lookin’ good today” to looking women up and down as we walk by. I’ve been witnessing this every day on my way to work since I started taking that metro in May.

He made his first comment to me last week-telling me, “Wow you are a big girl,” and then proceeded to look up and down all 6’0 feet of me. I yelled, “I can’t believe you just said that!” He kept talking and I kept walking.

For the past seven months I have watched women in response to this mans inappropriate commentary, smile politely back at him, tell him thank you, ignore him and or giggle uncomfortably.

That doesn’t work for me.

I called the Arlington police on him yesterday morning and requested that they remove the man permanently. I told them that he harasses women everyday. The officer didn’t seem to really understand my complaint. I then asked the officer if loitering is legal there and she replied, “No.” I asked that they remove the man for loitering. That seemed to have been the language that she needed.

That man was no where to be seen this morning and it was blissful and victorious. Perhaps he took the day off and will be back-time will tell. If he does return, I will call the Arlington police everyday until he is gone permanently and I told them I would do so. Thanks everyone!

– Anonymous

Location: Rosslyn Metro, Arlington, Virginia

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.

I was walking down a busy street when a young street vendor on the sidewalks -close to me- started talking to me and calling me (in Arabic of course): “Hey baby, look at me, what’s up honey, you’re so pretty” and kept following me for a few feet.

That’s when something inside me ‘popped’, I couldn’t take it anymore; girls in Arabic societies are always advised never to reply or give attention to a harasser, and through years of doing so (ignoring harassers and tolerating them), I had not found the courage to speak out, to object to it.

Maybe it was because of our social customs or of personal fear that the harasser may attack me. well he didn’t, I stopped walking and I shouted (also in Arabic): “Stop it now!” and looked him straight in the eyes. To my amazement, and his astonishment, he did. He froze and swiftly turned his head away so bystanders wouldn’t realize I was addressing him. And finally, for once, I felt vindicated.

Verbal harassment is the most common type of harassment. To me, and many other girls, the mere idea of replying to the harasser scares us. As simple and quick were the words I uttered, it took me 18 years to summon the courage and power to yell it out, to defend myself.

– Anonymous

Location: Alexandria, Egypt

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.

I’ve been harassed on several occasions and like most women I’ve sadly gotten used to it.

But I’ll never forget the first time it happened to me, when I was as young as 12, going to my first guitar practice appointment. I was wearing blue jeans and a white tunic shirt. I had grown breasts pretty fast but how could these men not have not known I was a preteen?

As I walked to the building I felt eyed, like my body wasn’t my own, yet I hadn’t even looked up to know it for certain. I heard a whistle and some giggling and saw two men with blue collar clothes and steel-toed shoes, I’d guess they were in their 30s or 40s.

I didn’t know how to feel. Were they making fun of me or did they, grown men, find a child attractive? I hated them but should I? Or should I want this attention? I felt disgusted with both myself and them and when I told my mother about it she was surprised but clearly didn’t think cat calling was any big deal.

And for years I thought it was nothing, but now I realize my first instincts were right.

– Anonymous

Location: Upstate New York

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.