Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

New Studies in Chile and Los Angeles

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As a researcher and public policy nerd, I love data, research and studies so I am excited that this week, there were two new studies about street harassment. These studies are important because they prove street harassment is a problem and they can lead to more awareness about these issues and better policies to address them.

Chile:

In an opt-in survey, the newly-formed Organization Against Street Harassment (OCAC) “found in its first study that almost 40 percent of Chilean women are harassed on a daily basis, while 90 percent of women reported having been harassed at least once in their lives.”

Los Angeles, California, USA:

“A Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority survey of nearly 20,000 passengers on the sprawling bus and rail system asked whether they felt unsafe during the last month while riding Metro due to “unwanted touching, exposure, comments, or any other form of unwanted sexual behavior.”

 

About 21% of rail passengers and 18% of bus passengers said yes. About 17% of bus riders and 13% of train riders said they felt unsafe while waiting at bus stops or train stations.”

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Egypt’s New Anti-Sexual Harassment Law

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At long last! This has been in the works for years.

Via Albawaba:

“Egypt’s cabinet approved on Wednesday a new anti-sexual harassment law…The cabinet had amended the law and sent it to the justice ministry for revision last month. The justice minister then revised it and sent it back to the government for final approval.

Previously, there had not been a specific law proscribing sexual harassment in Egypt. However, three articles in the penal code were sometimes applied in cases of sexual harassment.

The new draft states that a sexual harasser is one who “accosts others in a public or private place through following or stalking them, using gestures or words or through modern means of communication or in any other means through actions that carry sexual or pornographic hints.”

The new law punishes sexual harassment with a prison sentence, a fine or both.”

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“I’ve had people make offers for me to sell my body, as if I were on auction”

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My story is more than one incident. Growing up I learned not to take walks, to never acknowledge people, and pretend to talk on the phone (with 911 already dialed).

I began riding a bike for exercise, as I receive less comments and gestures, although they still happen.

The most recent was when a car came up right a long side me, a man leaned out and seemed to try and grab me while yelling, “HEY B****!!!” I wasn’t sure what to do, so I kept going and thankfully another car came up, so he had to go back in his lane.

I’ve had people make offers for me to sell my body, as if I were on auction. I’ve had people call me names, whistle, etc. In one walk I could have four incidents. I stopped walking to church, because it got to uncomfortable and someone would follow me consistently.

When I go out with my male friend, it is so NICE not to have the comments or be on guard as much. I was shocked the first time walking around the city with him how NO ONE tired anything. It makes me want to have an escort all the time. Which is extremely sad.

I’ve become to expect the harassment, and am pleasantly surprised when I don’t receive any. However, most of the time I get at least some. I don’t even bring up all the incidents to people, cause I know they will think they aren’t a big deal.

– Anonymous

Location: Where doesn’t it happen?

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“I’ll smile if and when I feel like it!”

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I’ve been getting stared at in the streets since I was about 13. I’m 17 now. And recently it’s been getting really hot where I live, so I’ve been wearing shorter shorts, that come a couple of inches or so above mid thigh. Apparently riding my bike and wearing these shorts with a tshirt is an invitation for older men to honk and stare at me.

I also go swing dancing every once in a while, and I’m constantly told by the men there: “Come on, smile! You have a beautiful smile!”
It makes me so angry that men think they have the right to tell me when to smile and that I should do so for them, as if I owe them something. I don’t owe you anything, I’ll smile if and when I feel like it!

– R

Location: Atlanta, GA

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