You probably have already forgotten what happened when I was happily walking to prom last night. You and your friends got back home together, maybe had a drink or two and then slept from midnight until ten this morning. You certainly told your girlfriend you had a great time with your friends and then spent the day with her. You may not even remember my face, my voice or my tears.

The thing is that I can’t forget. I remember every word you said and every physical contact you tried to have with me. I remember some of your friends laughing. I remember my legs shaking and the tears running on my cheeks. I remember my voice trying to tell you to go away.

You told me I was a whore and then that I probably never had sex and blamed me for that. My vagina is mine, not yours. Don’t try to make me ashamed of it. You told me I was a bum because I wouldn’t let you “seduce” me. If you call harassment “seduction”, then you are totally wrong. You told me I was worthless because I didn’t want you to take me home. You told me you hoped I would die because I didn’t want to suck your dick. You told me so much things that I won’t ever forget.

I had four panic attacks since you harassed me at 8:45 pm. I tried to enjoy prom but I couldn’t because I was terrified. Terrified you would come back. Terrified because it was the first time a guy would be so violent with me in the street, even if it had already happened before. Terrified because I’m only 17 and I know it certainly won’t be the last time. I have been trying to sleep but the words you threw me turn in a loop in my head.

I know I am not the first you harassed.

I know I am not the last.

You may have thought you would drag me so down I wouldn’t say anything and would never try to defend myself in such situations. You were wrong.

Your violence gave me so much strength and anger to fight over and over.

– L

Location: Grenoble, France

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

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

I was walking my aunt’s dog when a teenager yelled out the window of his van,” Lick my ****.”I was too shocked to say anything and it put me in a horrible mood. He came out of his van to apologize, saying that he meant to say it to the girl across the street. Just because it wasn’t particularly aimed at me, doesn’t make it right to say. I know that and I’m only 12, so why don’t guys understand?

– Anonymous

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

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

I was walking around at night by myself. As I walked past this one house, two guys came out onto the porch. I’m sure they were drunk. They were also in their forties. I’m 23. I didn’t even acknowledge them, but one said, “Hello” and the other, “How YOU doin?!” in a really creepy sexy voice.

I never stopped walking, but I turned slightly and said, “F**k off.” Maybe not the best response, but I’m simply sick of guys using my being outside as an excuse to him on me. Especially since they’re twice my age. That’s super creepy and disgusting.

The one started screaming at me, “What the f**k did you just say to me?! Come back here!” I told him no and kept walking. He got off his porch and started coming after me. I yelled at him that I had mace and I’d mace him if he didn’t leave me alone, but he keeping coming after me. So I just walked away as fast as I could. He kept telling me to come back. He followed me for a block or two. Then we came up to an intersection where there were a few people across the street. At that point, I called back, “Just leave me the f**k alone!” And he finally said ok and backed off.

But I’m afraid the only reason he did was because those other people. I was scared out of my mind. I had no idea what would happen, what he would do if he got close to me. But I just knew I couldn’t let him get that close. I was disgusted that he had the audacity to try to flirt with me when I was just trying to walk. But once he started coming after me, I was terrified the whole time. I was terrified that he was going to beat the shit out of me, or worse rape me…

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

I’m not sure. I think one of the main problems is that women aren’t respected and are simply viewed as property. If we could change that view, I think the streets would be a lot safer.

– Irena

Location: Out on the street, Latrobe PA USA

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

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

Today as I was walking to meet my boyfriend, a car drove past me with two young men in and beeped at me. The car then did a U-turn and drove back down the road so that they could drive back up it again. They then drove onto the pavement, blocked my way and said, “Oi, come on, get in the car”. I backed away and began to ring my boyfriend. They then reversed and sped off.

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

Introduce a scheme “safety zones” which is a place that people can run to if they are being harassed (like a nearby corner shop) and can be comforted and be safe. There could also be things in the streets which you could run to if you’re being harassed and call the police and then this could spot the areas where street harassment is more common so more could be done about it.

– PB

Location: Leicester, UK

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

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

I am a 51 year old woman and last week a young (I’d say early twenties) man started talking to me at a crowded transit stop in broad daylight during the afternoon rush hour. I am actually getting used to the invisibility of middle-aged womanhood so I was surprised that this happened to me – it has been a while. He had been talking to some other women when I walked up but the women were speaking Spanish so I suspect that they did not reply to him.

After engaging in an innocuous conversation about when the next bus was expected and the weather (it was very hot) he asked me if hot humid weather makes me horny and shared that it made him horny all day. I didn’t have a clue how to respond but wanted to end any conversation and looked in the opposite direction, but he kept talking (to the back of my head) about sweaty sex. Ugh.

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

I think men need to know that women find it aggressive and threatening and not at all complimentary or attractive. My husband would never do something like this, so he assumes that most other men don’t/won’t. I have also made sure that my teenage son understands a woman’s perspective on this – I wish more wives/girlfriends/mothers would share their thoughts with the men they live with.

– CD

Location: Downtown Toronto (Chinatown)

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

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