Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming
Biking home from work at night. It’s cold so I’m bundled up. Right after crossing the street someone calls out “nice ass” from the window of his truck.
– Anonymous
Location: 2nd East, Rexburg, Idaho
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Check out the new book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers!
Walking home from the store. A group of boys passing me in a car start singing their own rendition of “We Will Rock You” replacing “rock” with “f*ck.” When I don’t respond they slowed down and started singing louder. They were practically screaming at me. Really awful experience. Stands out as one of the worst sexual harassment experiences I’ve had to endure.
– Anonymous
Location: Rexburg, Idaho USA
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Check out the new book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers!
I was walking back from college, only a block away by a grocery store, when a man stopped me by a bus stop. He kept asking if my eye color was real because “it’s so damn sexy” and saying that “If you were older I would be all up on you!”
This man was at least 30 years older than me (I am 18). I kept saying I had to go and meet my boyfriend who was at a restaurant by the store (I don’t actually have one but felt, as he wouldn’t let me leave when I said I was busy, he would let me go if he knew a guy was waiting for me).
Every time I tried to leave he would step in front of me and telling me how “sexy” I am and “if only you were older”. He would only let me leave when I faked a phone call from my “boyfriend.”
– KD
Location: Moreno Valley, CA
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Check out the new book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers!
I’ll never forget the first time I was harassed in the street. I was 12 years old. I was walking to my grandmother’s house to visit her, I was happy and excited. Then a car pulls up, a man in his forties and a younger man (whom I assumed was his son) stopped to yell, “Hey, sexy.”
Sexy, right. I was 12.
Do you have any suggestions for dealing with harassers and/or ending street harassment in general?
It has to start with early education and really changing the mentality about women’s role in public space and society in general. As long as women are seen as belonging in the home, as long as we are marginalized and viewed as beings existing for the entertainment of men, street harassment will continue.
– Anonymous
Location: Jerusalem, Israel
Share your street harassment story for the blog.
Check out the new book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers!
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Street Harassment Stories:
Share your story! You can read street harassment stories on the Web at:
Collective Action for Safe Spaces
The Hollaback sites
Ramallah Street Watch in Palestine
Street Harassment in South Africa
Street Harassment In the News, on the Blogs:
* Women’s Media Center, “Second-Ever City Council Hearing on Street Harassment“
* Philadelphia City Paper, “City Council hearing focuses on street harassment“
* The Guardian, “‘Hey bitch’ someone yelled out a car window. It’s what I’ve come to expect“
* The Massachusetts Daily Collegian, “Stand against street harassment“
* The Times of India, “Harassed on street? Share your story online“
* First Post, “Sexual harassment, no rights: Egypt is the worst Arab state for women“
* Morocco World, “Moroccans speak out against sexual harassment“
* Huffington Post, “Burt’s Bees ‘Let The Catcalling Commence’ Label Seems Like A Great Reason Not To Buy Their New Lotion“
* Jezebel, “Burt’s Bees Stupidly Puts ‘Let the Catcalling Commence’ on Product“
* PR Daily, “Burt’s Bees nixes packaging that encourages catcalling“
* India Today, “Girl burnt alive for resisting sexual harassment in Uttar Pradesh“
* BBC News, “India: ‘Eve-teasing’ fight-back film divides opinion“
* Huffington Post, “Listen Up Street Harassers: Enough Is Enough“
* Boston.com, “‘Street harassment’ common in Boston, advocacy group’s survey finds“
* Peru This Week, “Peru: TV presenter lands in hot water for comments about street harassment“
* Ahram Online, “Egypt women ride bikes to defy sexual harassment“
Announcements:
New:
* Save the date — International Anti-Street Harassment Week is March 30 – April 5 in 2014!
* Read about the successful Philadelphia City Council Hearing on Street Harassment on Nov. 7!
* The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence begin November 25!
Reminders:
* Donate to help fund the FIRST EVER national study on street harassment in the USA!
* Buy a copy of the new book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers! Here’s how to hold a book club fundraiser for SSH
10 Tweets from the Week:
* @audiohelkuik A construction worker yelled “Hey baby!” at me on the street. I live such a cliche life. #streetharassment #omaha
* @Midnightproblem Sometimes I feel bad for ignoring guys for saying hello but after so many years of street harassment I would rather not set myself up 4 that
* @eloise265 when are people going to understand that street harassment is NOT OKAY
* @lenubienne From street harassment to song lyrics, misogyny is everywhere, and it is debilitating.
* @marciethehuman people who think street harassment are compliments: can u not
* @thesparkoflightPeople think negative attention = self worth, and when they don’t receive street harassment they consider themselves ‘unattractive’
* @_HellFrozenRain @TheRealMrWriter -i got egged on the way home once. Endured a plethora of street harassment as i had to take off my jacket
* @MegascgMastenbr man just yelled at me from inside his car, I want to lick your asshole streetharassment catcalling cc hollaback
* @TheChirpingCat New #StreetHarassment strategy: Say “Nooo Waaay” to everything regardless of content just like my favorite toddler says to me.
* @mmmariesa Nothing like good old fashioned street harassment to ruin a night before it even starts