Search Results for: police violence

Ottawa: Street Harassment Survey Results

July 22, 2013 By Contributor

Cross-posted with permission from Hollaback! Ottawa

July 22, 2013 (Ottawa, ON). A new survey released today finds 97% of respondents experienced street harassment in the past year and only 10% reported it to the authorities. The survey findings are outlined in a new report compiled by Hollaback! Ottawa, the local chapter of an international movement dedicated to ending all forms of street harassment.

Download the full report here.

“The results are in line what we already know about sexual violence: It’s ubiquitous and yet, we rarely talk about it. It’s difficult to talk about with our friends, let alone reporting it to the police”, says Hollaback! Ottawa site director Julie Lalonde.

Our city, our space, our voice: A report on street harassment in Ottawa is the result of an open forum held in May by Hollaback! Ottawa and WISE: Women’s Initiatives for Safer Environments and a subsequent online survey. The forum focused on safety on transit with the survey addressing street harassment more broadly.

“What we’ve seen in the media over the past few months and what we saw quite clearly during our forum is that harassment on transit is a critical issue for residents” says Lisane Thirsk, policy and research officer for Hollaback! Ottawa. “With 44% of survey respondents indicating that they had been harassed on public transit at least once in the last year, it’s clear that we’re not talking about a few isolated incidents.”

Although there has been immense support for bystander intervention strategies, the survey found only 6% of respondents had a bystander intervene on their behalf.

Street harassment predominantly affects women and LGBT2QQI* folks and the impact on their daily lives is tremendous. 38% of respondents indicated that street harassment made them fearful to go out alone and 32% would routinely change their route or final destination.

“It was important for us to quantify the impacts of street harassment because we hear so often from people about how their experiences are trivialized. And yet, what we’re talking about are experiences of being yelled at, stalked, groped and flashed. There is nothing trivial about street harassment”, says Julie Lalonde.

The report calls for the creation of public awareness campaigns, tools for bystander intervention and mechanisms for anonymous reporting. It also announces the creation of a new safe(r) spaces campaign, initiated by Hollaback! Ottawa with the focus of engaging the broader community.

It is evident that there is a great deal of interest in creating change. One survey respondent summarized it perfectly: “If we all come together and fight this, not just a few individuals, but everyone who has been, will be or knows someone who has been harassed, we can make waves.”

For more information:

Julie S. Lalonde, Director, Hollaback! Ottawa
ottawa@ihollaback.org

Thesis results: “Gender in Public Space”

July 11, 2013 By Contributor

In April, I completed my senior thesis for Princeton University examining the policy frameworks that sustain street harassment. As a public policy major, I was especially interested in the way government policies defined the problem of sexual violence and, going forward, how policy at every level of government could effectively address street harassment. Through this analysis, I identified a complex structure of policy that makes street harassment appear to be an inevitable fact of life, though it is anything but. While writing my thesis I came to realize that none of the needed reforms are insurmountable. Further, there is great precedent for the type of policy changes needed.

Examining government rhetoric about sexual violence, the first theme I noticed was that most official advice and information on sexual violence focuses on minimizing victims’ risk. A fact sheet from the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health illustrates this position.

“How can I lower my risk of sexual assault? These are things you can do to reduce your chance of being sexually assaulted…Be wary of isolated spots, like underground garages, offices after business hours, and apartment laundry rooms. Avoid walking or jogging alone, especially at night.”[1]

It is hard to imagine what kind of life a person would live if she wished to follow this advice. More worrisome, though, is that in this construction of sexual violence people are able to prevent their own victimization. In terms of policy solutions, this conceptualization is frighteningly close to a ‘blame the victim’ approach. And of course—if women could prevent being victims of sexual violence, it is hard to justify policy interventions to reduce this type of violence. This understanding of sexual violence explains the lack of coherent and effective laws to combat street harassment, as well as police inattention to the problem.

The narrative of sexual violence that frames the problem as an inevitable way men interact with women is one cause of street harassment’s frequency. What is less often discussed is the role police play in exacerbating street harassment, both by perpetrating it themselves and by fostering an institutional culture unconcerned with sexual violence. One NYC study found that

“Quite unexpectedly, almost two-fifths of the young women surveyed indicated that in the past 12 months, male police officers had flirted, whistled or ‘come on to them.’”[2]

Similarly, women often do not report incidents of street harassment. A Manhattan Borough President’s Office survey found that 96% of respondents who reported being sexually harassed on the subway had not filed a report with the New York Police Department or Metropolitan Transit Authority nor did they call the police for help.[3] Indeed, police sexual harassment is pervasive enough that there is a sub-field of criminology which focuses on “police sexual violence” toward other police officers, a phenomenon that has been documented worldwide.[4] Although there is great value in creating specific policies to combat street harassment, the corrupt institutional culture of police departments is equally important to change: without adequate enforcement, most policy to combat street harassment will be meaningless.

Though in my thesis I spent considerable time looking at the policy frameworks and failures that contribute to street harassment’s prevalence, my research also left me feeling optimistic that societal attitudes toward street harassment could change quite quickly.

Bullying, for instance, was recently seen as a fact of life, immune to societal intervention and harmless for its victims. In the early 1990s, within academia the idea that bullying had larger, more negative consequences gained traction. By the 2000s, activist groups formed to combat bullying. Now, government is involved in addressing the problem through law, school-level policy changes, and public awareness campaigns. Social norms toward bullying have changed dramatically, too.

Remarkably, the definition of bullying today is quite similar to street harassment. According to the American Psychological Association,

“Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior in which someone intentionally and repeatedly causes another person injury or discomfort. Bullying can take the form of physical contact, words or more subtle actions. The bullied individual typically has trouble defending him or herself and does nothing to “cause” the bullying.”[5]

Leaving aside the ‘repeated’ nature of bullying in the APA definition, the behavior outlined above could equally describe street harassment. Indeed, given the strength of the movement to reconceptualize the harms of bullying, I found it somewhat surprising that perceptions of street harassment hadn’t already begun to change.

By the time I submitted my thesis, despite the fact that street harassment has been ignored by policymakers for decades, I was not convinced that changing norms and social behaviors would be that difficult. With varying levels of success, bullying, sexual harassment, and smoking have all undergone massive norm shifts within a few decades. Even limited bans or targeted policies can have wide reaching effects, especially in changing societal perceptions of what is normal and acceptable. This, of course, would be the use of ‘harassment-free zones’, or areas of cities like schools or parks where harassing behavior is disallowed.

With street harassment, there is a general lack of clarity about whether harassing behavior is normal and acceptable. Still, it is easy to imagine how small, well-designed policy changes could have far-reaching impacts: changing government approaches to sexual violence, reforming police departments so they can adequately respond to sexual violence, and creating ‘harassment free zones’ could together change the social norms of street harassment. Now, what remains is convincing legislators to pass these reforms—and making street harassment an obsolete part of public life.

Jarrah O’Neill recently graduated from Princeton University where she wrote her senior thesis, “Gender in Public Space: Policy Frameworks and the Failure to Prevent Street Harassment.”

[1] Womenshealth.gov, “Sexual Assault Fact Sheet.”

[2] Fine, “”Anything can happen with police around’: Urban Youth Evaluate Strategies of Surveillance.”

[3] Stringer, “Hidden in Plain Sight: Sexual Harassment and Assault in the New York City Subway System,” 6.

[4] Kaska, “To Serve and Pursue: Exploring Police Sexual Violence Against Women.” and Eschholz, “Police Sexual violence and rape myths: Civil Liability under Section 1983.”

[5] American Psychological Association, “Bullying.”

USA: Interview with the Director of Hollaback!PHILLY

July 7, 2013 By Correspondent

April2013SeptaAd- Rochelle and Anna — Anna Kegler & Rochelle Keyhan with one of their SETPA ads.

By: Erin McKelle, Jan. – June 2013 SSH Blog Correspondents

Rochelle Keyhan is the Director of Hollaback!PHILLY, lawyer, activist and writer. She started working on anti-street harassment non-profit Hollaback! in 2010 when she incorporated the organization as a non-profit 501(c) (3) pro-bono. She’s been an active feminist since her undergraduate years at UCLA, where she was the Editor in Chief of the university’s feminist magazine. She’s truly remarkable and I wanted to get her take on street harassment, working as a feminist activist and her work with Hollaback!

Erin: Can you tell me a little about yourself and your work both with Hollaback! and outside of it?

Rochelle: My passion is fighting gender-based violence and inequity. My day job is as a criminal lawyer, and I do all of my work on Hollaback! in my free time outside of work. I first became aware of Hollaback! while working with a different non profit, running their social media pages. Hollaback! posted a request for assistance with filing their 501(c)(3) application, which I had just learned how to do. In filling out that application you learn everything there is to know about the organization, and the more I learned, the more I became enamored with the movement. Soon after completing the application I joined Hollaback!’s Board of Directors and am currently the Treasurer on the Board. A year later in April 2011 I started HollabackPHILLY and have been the director ever since.

Erin: I saw that you first got involved with Hollaback! by volunteering to incorporate them as a non-profit. What drew you to the organization and what led you to start a chapter in your city?

Rochelle: At the time I discovered Hollaback! I was already a pretty outspoken and passionate feminist, but had been so desensitized to street harassment that it was an epiphany for me that I deserved to be angry about street harassment. The fact that it was such a new, less-explored issue, got me excited to be a part of it almost immediately. After a year on the board, I was more familiar with the organization and its long term activist goals, and I just knew that I needed to bring the movement to Philadelphia, which has its own serious street harassment problem. By raising awareness about street harassment, we’re expanding the reach of the fight against gender-based violence by going after the behaviors across the spectrum, instead of just focusing on the most physical forms of the violence.

Erin: Street harassment is obviously a huge problem and it is often not taken seriously by the police. How do you think that the laws around street harassment can be written to better serve women and LGBT folks? How can we better educate law enforcement to make them aware of the problem?

Rochelle: I don’t think that laws are the solution, so I actually wouldn’t suggest any form of legal revision. The focus now should be on education and mindset change. A big part of that is bringing in men and law enforcement, recruiting them as allies and equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to spread the message. I wrote an article for COPS, a department out of the USDOJ on how law enforcement can help the cause, which is pretty responsive to this question.

Erin: Hollaback Philly’s SEPTA Subway Advertisement PSA Campaign has gotten a lot of press this spring. Have you seen any changes that have happened because of it? Did you see an increase in public awareness?

Rochelle: The ads had a significant local impact, putting our efforts on the radar of the larger feminist organizations in the city. They also got the attention of City Council, which opened the door for conversations about potential partnerships. We also have had a large outpouring of local support via email and social media, thanking us for our effort and commending our transit authority for extending the advertisements. The ads helped people start conversations by providing an ice breaker. They also encouraged people to think through the issues on their own, and in their own ways, by giving them the freedom to process the ideas individually, without forcing conversations. Beyond the impact in Philadelphia, the ads went viral online, with over 500,000 Facebook impressions and 100,000 Tumblr re-blogs, expanding the conversation to a global dialogue about what cities can do to help spread the word about making our streets and transit systems safer for women and LGBTQ folks.

Erin: Do you see street harassment as being a potential defining issue of 4^th wave feminism? Do you think it’s important that it be?

Rochelle: It’s already a large part of the fourth wave narrative, with organizations all over the world organizing around and marching against street harassment, while openly condemning the behavior online. People rising up to regain their rights to safe access to public spaces, fighting discrimination based on their gender, and holding their communities accountable, is of course an important part of any wave of feminism, so the 4th wave is no exception.

Erin: Street harassment comes from the difference in power and acts as an oppressor and reminder for oppressed groups that they are such. It’s a way for the dominant group to assert power. Do you think it will take ending sexism to end street harassment?

Rochelle: I actually think street harassment can end before sexism does, because it’s easier to be angry about violence and disrespect than it is to redefine masculine roles and claims to power by doing things like evening out salaries, sharing household duties, and electing more women into political power. Basically, it’s “giving up” less to eliminate street harassment than to eliminate sexism.

Erin: There has obviously been an increase in recent years in the feminist movement to end street harassment and the movement has been gaining ground. In your opinion, what is the best approach we can take to end street harassment both as activists and everyday citizens?

Rochelle: That’s a difficult question to answer. The “best” way to approach street harassment varies by situation and individual. But what I’ve learned over the past few years is that the most productive and effective conversations I’ve had with men and non believers happens when I come from a place of love and understanding. Curbing the anger goes a long way in creating the conversations as safe spaces for people to voice questions they might be embarrassed to ask, allowing for deeper, more nuanced conversations about the issue and how it impacts people differently. Hopefully the more conversations we have, the more people will join in the effort and the less careful the conversations will have to be to avoid isolating people from the movement.

Erin is an e-activist and blogger based in Ohio. You can find more of her work here and here.

Past SSH Correspondents

Meet the Blog Correspondents of the Second Cohort of 2017

Yasmin Curzi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Yasmin is a Research Assistant at the Center for Research on Law and Economics at FGV-Rio. She has a BA in Social Sciences from FGV-Rio and a Master Degree in Social Sciences from PUC-Rio, where she wrote her thesis on street harassment and feminists’ struggles for recognition. She received a second degree in the Law at FGV-Rio. She is interested in studies about social movements in Brazil, theories of justice, feminist constitutionalism and the strategic use of Law by feminists.

Pritha Khanal, Kathmandu, Nepal

Pritha is doing her Master’s degree in Anthropology and her thesis is on the menstruation practice issues among rural teenagers in Nepal. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. She works in a non-governmental organization focused on women empowerment. She is passionate about working on and writing about various women’s, and she is also fond of travel writing. Follow her blog www.prithakhanal.com and my Facebook account: @pritha.khanal.

Astrid Nikijuluw, Serpong, Banten, Indonesia

Astrid received her Bachelors of Business at Queensland University of Technology Brisbane Australia on July 2000. She majored in Banking and Finance. She finished her Masters Degree at Gadjah Mada University Yogyakarta on August 2003 where she majored in Human Resource Development. Although her educational backgrounds are economics and social science, she volunteers with many types of organizations and people. She is really concerned about street harassment and aims to help spread information about it for the benefit of her fellow women so that they can walk on the street in peace. Besides writing, she also enjoys reading her favorite books, swimming, watching movies and playing games. Follow her on Twitter at @AstridNiki or on Facebook.

Dee Rodriguez, Reading, PA, USA

Dee is a volunteer coordinator and domestic violence/sexual assault advocate for a non-profit social services agency. She is currently involved in a project to better serve Latinx women survivors of sexual assault in her community. Dee received a bachelor’s degree in Global Studies with a focus on Latin American Culture from Penn State University. Dee originally hails from New York City and is a proud daughter of immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic. Dee is also particularly interested in the intersection between sexual violence and race as well as how street harassment contributes to rape culture. In her spare time, Dee enjoys cooking, reading, and going for walks. You can follow Dee on Instagram at @missdeerodriguez.

Meet the First Cohort of 2017!

Libby Allnatt Libby Allnatt, Phoenix, AZ, USA

Libby is a student at Arizona State University. Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, she is majoring in journalism with a focus on print. She also is minoring in psychology and women’s studies to pursue her passion for understanding human behavior and combating gender-based injustice. She has particular interest in how media messages affect gender socialization and the psychology behind gender-based violence. Libby is passionate about raising awareness of street harassment because she believes everyone has the right to walk down the street with peace of mind. Street harassment is a culmination of gender violence and objectification, and she refuses to stop talking about it. One of her main goals in life is to help young girls realize their full potential. When she’s not talking about feminism, she’s usually running, writing, doing yoga, or trying to find a cat to pet. You can follow her on Twitter @libbyallnattasu and Instagram @LibbyPaigeA.

Simona-Maria Chirciu, Bucharest, Romania

Simona-Marie is a Ph.D. Student in Political Sciences, working on a thesis on gender-based street harassment in Romania. She has a BA in Political Sciences from the Faculty of Political Sciences, NSPSPA (National School of Political Sciences and Public Administration), with a theme on Islamic Fundamentalism in Iran and Communist Ideology in China (2012) and a Master Degree in Policy, Gender and Minorities, Faculty of Political Sciences, NSPSPA, with a thesis on street harassment in Bucharest (2014). Simona’s main research interests are in gender-based street harassment, sexual violence and other forms of violence against women, gender and poverty, gender equality and equal opportunities, social justice. In the past she worked as a gender equality expert and sexual violence expert. Also, she is an activist and she organizes numerous public actions (marches, flash-mobs, protests) against sexual violence and street harassment against women. Now she is part of an working-group trying to improve by public policies the situation of young homeless people in Romania. You can find her on Facebook.

Elaine Coyle Elaine Crory, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Elaine is a part-time politics lecturer and a mother of two. Originally from rural Cavan, she studied and worked in Dublin for a decade before coming to Belfast, where she started a family and met a network of committed activists. She is director of Hollaback! Belfast, co-organises the city’s annual Reclaim the Night march, and volunteers with Belfast Feminist Network and Alliance for Choice to campaign for a broad range of women’s issues. She is passionate about community organising and activism as a way to bring intersectional feminism to life, and especially interested in street harassment as the first way in which many young people encounter sexism in their lives. In her spare time she enjoys cooking, reading and strategic napping.

Annabel Laughton, Gloucestershire, UK

Annabel is a passionate feminist who strives to constantly learn more about feminism, patriarchy, misogyny, racism and sexism. She is involved in campaigns for human rights, mental health, environmental issues and social justice. She is inspired by many incredible women activists, and by her friends. Her favourite quote is from Maya Angelou: “You will face many defeats in your life, but never let yourself be defeated”. Annabel has an honours degree in Classical Studies, a diploma in counselling, and works in Higher Education. She spends her free time running, swimming, hiking, and reading about ancient Greek epic.

Ken Rodrigo, Makati, Philippines

Ken is a teacher of international studies at a university in Manila. After law school, she traveled to Denmark and eventually studied in Malmö University in Sweden where she earned her master’s in Human Rights. Her experience in progressive countries influenced her views of society. She wishes to contribute to her home country by advocating social movement for meaningful social change. You can contact her at krnrdrg@gmail.com or on Facebook.

Meet the Correspondents of the Third Cohort of 2016

Alys C.R., Barcelona, Spain

Alys was born and raised in France, lived for a time in Denmark and has lived in Spain for the past seven years. She likes researching, analyzing and writing about Women’s Rights, gender bias, and intersectionalism with a special focus on sexual violence, rape, rape culture, the impact of street harassment and how the media deals with these issues. She is currently working on a new project focused on how some media participate in the revictimization of victims. The objective will be to offer an alternative by rewriting the incriminated articles. She follows the work and activities of various organisations, especially l’Aadas which provides help and support to victims of sexual violence in Barcelona. Apart from that she loves travelling, learning new languages, ballet and flamenco. You will be able to follow her and her projects in her brand new Facebook page and twitter @Alyselily.

Grace Gageby, Dublin, Ireland

Grace is a student. She writes regularly for her school newsletter and yearbook, and has been published in Inis Magazine. Grace is currently involved with the socialist feminist group ROSA (for Reproductive rights, against Oppression, Sexism & Austerity), and their campaign for abortion rights in Ireland. Part of ROSA’s 15 point plan is to end the social ills of macho culture, and end street harassment and victim- blaming. Grace is particularly interested in intersectional feminism, and how street harassment affects teenagers. Grace is interested in understanding rape culture and how young people can fight this. She enjoys playing classical guitar and reading.

Alexandra Jurecko, Montreal, Canada

A Processed with VSCO with 2 preset lexandra is a freelance writer and recent graduate of Heidelberg University in Germany, where she earned a BA in South Asian Studies and English Literature. During her time at university, Alexandra started her research on the role of women’s activism in post-colonial India. Inspired by this work, she’s committed to advancing the conversation around gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment across all societies, starting with her new home in Canada. Having moved across the pond to live and work in Montreal, she now focuses on refreshing her French skills while volunteering her time to various community-outreach programs. Here, she also hopes to pursue a degree in visual journalism, so she can tell her stories in colour. Alexandra drinks a lot of coffee, listens to a lot of podcasts and loves the great outdoors. You can follow her on twitter @alexjurecko.

Suchita Kotnala, Texas, USA

Suchita was raised in western India by loving and supportive parents who helped her and her sister to grow into strong, independent and career-oriented women. She’s a registered general practitioner in India and is currently preparing to obtain medical residency in the United States. She is passionate about women’s rights especially because she has had firsthand experiences of harassment and sexist behavior at public spaces, school and work. She believes that in order for women to enjoy equal rights and opportunities, the society needs to recognize that it’s a problem first. In her spare time, Suchita loves playing scrabble, hiking in woods and baking vegan double chocolate chip cookies.

Sequoya Lajoy, Louisiana, USA

Sequoya is a Native American and Italian woman from Chicago who fell in love with New Orleans. She’s currently a Sociology Major at Loyola University New Orleans and supports her higher education habit by slinging drinks to the masses. She aspires to attain a PhD and write a best seller. She currently operates a small blog and writes weekly at and hopes to expand her writing and artistic ventures. She is undecided about law school but would like to use her knowledge and skills to bring attention to issues close to her heart such as sexual assault, racial and gender equality, domestic violence, immigration rights, indigenous rights, health care, reproductive rights, human trafficking, mass incarceration, police brutality, and addressing economic and social inequalities. Her dream job would be to do international research and make a global impact. She loves the ocean, mountains, live music, street artists, poetry, and making community and sisterhood.

Nyasha Joyce Mukuwane, Johannesburg, South Africa

Nyasha is the public awareness coordinator at the Nisaa Institute for Women’s Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, where the main goal is counselling and sheltering survivors of domestic abuse. In 2013 she facilitated a book titled; “Rising Up, Moving On: Women writing our lives,’ written by survivors of domestic violence and again facilitated a book written by young adolescent South African girls in June 2016 titled “We are those girls: writing our stories.” Both books are available to download for free from the website www.nisaa.org.za. She is passionate about advocating for women’s rights and the war of ownership of women’s bodies is a harrowing one in SA as harassment often turns violent and may lead to sexual assault.

Shawn Ray, Croatia, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Iran

shawnray Shawn Ray is an avid traveler and freelance writer/photojournalist. Also a TEFL instructor, Shawn has visited over 70 countries and lived for a year or more in several foreign communities. In 2015, Shawn followed the migration of Syrian asylum seekers from Turkey through the Netherlands. A member of GoTravelBroad, (a solo-female travel support and advocacy group) Shawn is focused on creating awareness to end violence against women worldwide, through empowering women to travel without apology.

Meet the Correspondents of the Second Cohort of 2016

Shahida Arabi, NY, USA

Shahida Arabi 250 Shahida is a summa cum laude graduate of Columbia University graduate school and is the author of four books, including The Smart Girl’s Guide to Self-Care and Becoming the Narcissist’s Nightmare, a #1 Amazon Best Seller. As a passionate advocate for survivors of abuse, sexual assault and trauma, her writing has been featured on sites like The National Domestic Violence Hotline website, Elephant Journal, Dollhouse Magazine, Thought Catalog, and the Feministing Community blog. She studied English Literature and Psychology at NYU, where she graduated summa cum laude and was President of its National Organization for Women (NOW) chapter. Her blog, Self-Care Haven, has over 1.8 million views and has been shared worldwide in all 196 countries. Her work on emotional and psychological abuse has been shared by numerous clinical psychologists, mental health practitioners, bestselling authors, and award-winning bloggers. You can follow Shahida on Twitter and join her Facebook community.

Tharunya Balan, Bangalore, India

Tharunya Balan 250 Tharunya is an urban planner and architect with a passion for issues of social, environmental and spatial justice, including the gendered ways in which urban spaces are designed and function. As a middle-class well-educated Indian woman in a large cosmopolitan city in the subcontinent, she constantly works to expand her understanding of gender, privilege, discrimination, and systemic oppression in her country and environment. She has a particular interest in including men in conversations around women’s issues and the ideas of safety, respect, and consent. She has a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she will be returning to obtain a degree in Geographic Infomations Systems Technology later this year.

Mariel DiDato, NJ, USA

Mariel DiDato 250 Mariel is a recent college graduate, feminist, and women’s rights activist. Although she received her degree in Nutritional Sciences, she plans to pursue graduate degrees in the fields of Public Policy and Women’s Studies to turn her volunteer activism into a career. She began her activism as a confidential crisis advocate for sexual and domestic violence survivors for Rutgers University’s Office of Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance. Since her training, she has become completely immersed into the field of women’s health and rights. Currently, she volunteers for a number of different organizations, including the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey and the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault. She is passionate about ending sexual violence, and is determined to see the elimination of rape culture in her lifetime. You can follow her on Twitter at @marieldidato or check out her personal blog, Fully Concentrated Feminism.

Deborah D’Orazi, NY, USA

Deborah D'Orazi 250 Deborah is a recent MSW graduate who also received certification from American University’s Women and Politics Institute and Rutgers’ Center on Violence Against Women and Children. In addition to social work, Deborah is looking to pursue an MPP/MPA in order to help create policies that empower many different members of society, particularly those who are dealing with trauma. Deborah hopes to use her passion and skills to continue advocating and writing for human rights, gender and racial equity, trauma, HIV and AIDS, reproductive health and maternal care, LGBTQ issues, and economic inequality. In addition to social justice issues, Deborah is also extremely passionate about the arts (theater, writing, film, television, fine art, poetry, performance art), history, and Hamilton.

Hope Herten, IL, USA

Hope Herten 250 Hope is a full-time undergraduate student studying public health and Spanish in Chicago, IL. After graduation in Spring 2017, Hope wants to return to her hometown of Cleveland, OH, and help work on outreach programs to improve the overall health of the community by focusing on minorities and high risk populations. Street harassment is intimately linked to the health of women, and as such is a serious public health issue. During her time in Chicago, Hope has participated in many protests and events trying to call awareness to women’s issues on campus and in the broader Chicago community. Her role model is Michelle Obama, a powerful woman who has devoted her life to many great causes like children’s health equity, the advancement of young women, and gender equality. If you want to keep up with Hope you can follow her on Twitter @hope_lucille or check out her public health blog.

Minying Huang, Amman, Jordan

Minying Huang 250 Minying is a 19-year-old British-born Chinese student from Cambridge, England. She is studying for a BA in Spanish and Arabic at Oxford University and is currently on her Year Abroad in Amman, Jordan, where she spends far too much time gorging herself on syrupy cheese pastries, drinking copious amounts of mint tea, and trying to figure out how best to deal with street harassers. She is particularly interested in transcultural dialogue and intersectional approaches to activism, exploring the ways in which overlapping identities shape both individual and collective experiences of oppression and marginalisation. Outside of study, she likes to read, write, and draw; she has written for Your Middle East, and her poems and illustrations have been published in a number of student publications including feminist and LGBTQ+ zines. You can follow her on Twitter @minyingh.

Manish Madan, Ph.D., NJ, USA

Manish Madan 250 Manish is a Professor of Criminal Justice at Stockton University where his research focuses on examining sexual harassment, gender empowerment, spousal abuse and policing issues. It is grounded in policy, international and comparative research. He teaches both undergraduate and graduate students. His research has appeared in International Criminal Justice Review, Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, Asian Journal of Criminology, and Journal of Criminal Justice and Security, and in many prominent media outlets including NY Times, India Today and The Economic Times. He was recognized with President’s Outstanding New Scholar Award by the Western Social Science Association in 2015. He frequently consults organizations on sexual harassment and gender issues. Manish earned his doctorate at Michigan State University and has Masters in Statistics, from India (Delhi) and Canada (Newfoundland). You can follow him @Prof_Madan or reach out to him at www.manishmadan.com.

Ginger Skinner, NY, USA

GingerSkinner 250 Ginger is a full-time reporter and long-time New Yorker with over 10 years of experience writing about health and wellness. Ginger is also a member of Brooklyn Movement Center’s No Disrespect anti-street harassment team, and is dedicated to deepening the conversations surrounding the causes of gender-based harassment and violence, and the intersections of race. She’s also a poet and essayist, currently working on a collection of poems on the impact of colorism on Black women and girls. She holds a BA from Howard University. Ginger enjoys drinking strong coffee, wearing shoes, listening to podcasts, and biking, and has an irrational fear of small talk and flying insects. Follow Ginger on Twitter at @ginger_skinner.

Turquoise A. Thomas, KS, USA

Turquoise A. Thomas 250 Turquoise is a 26-year-old freelance journalist, program manager at the Wichita Women’s Initiative Network, and a junior at Wichita State University. Upon graduating she plans to attend a joint Juris Doctor/Masters of Social Work Program. A California native, with a background in youth development and law enforcement, her current work focuses primarily on women, children and gender. In Fall 2015 she expanded her fieldwork and academic studies outward from California to the Midwest with the intention of expanding women’s services in underserved states such as Kansas. Turquoise is an avid public educator and presents regularly as the founder of SHERO Coalition (SHERO Co). Feel free to follow her on twitter @anthroisms or join her growing coalition.

Meet the Correspondents of the First Cohort of 2016

LB Klein, MSW, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

LB has dedicated her academic and professional career to ending gender-based violence, supporting survivors, and advancing social justice. She is currently an independent consultant based in Atlanta, GA. LB serves as a lead trainer for Prevention Innovations Research Center at the University of New Hampshire, through which she trains colleges, universities, and community organizations to implement Bringing in the Bystander®. She is also a graduate student in the Program on Gender-Based Violence within the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs. Her research currently focuses on campus sexual assault and intimate partner violence prevention programs, trauma-informed organizational cultures, and compassion satisfaction. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in social work from Washington University in St. Louis and a graduate certificate in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender health from Drexel University. LB previously lead Emory University’s Respect Program and the St. Louis County Domestic Violence Court volunteer program. She is a board member for Jane Doe Advocacy Center and the Association of Title IX Administrators. She serves on the founding leadership council of the Campus Advocates & Prevention Professionals Association (CAPPA). You can follow her on twitter @LB_Klein or on her website at http://www.lbklein.net.

Rupande Mehta, New Jersey, USA

Rupande is a writer passionate about women’s rights in India and the world. Having experienced physical and sexual violence from a very young age has made Rupande a fervent advocate of violence against women. Rupande grew up in Mumbai, India where she was consistently subject to street harassment and various cultural norms that force women to live as second class citizens. All these experiences made Rupande’s resolve stronger to campaign for equal rights for women and girls. Rupande has an MBA and is currently working towards her MPA, looking to specialize in Non Profit Management. Rupande writes for the Huffington Post and various other websites. You can find her writing on her blog at Rupande-mehta.tumblr.com or follow her on Twitter @rupandemehta. In her spare time, Rupande loves to spend time with her family, cook healthy foods and read.

Kathleen Moyer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Kathleen is a full-time graduate student studying professional and business communication. After earning her master’s degree, she hopes to pursue a career in which she’ll be able to dedicate her life to her greatest passion: social justice. As a proud feminist, Kathleen feels strongly about striving for equality in all areas of society. She is currently involved in planning initiatives to increase awareness of sexual assault, domestic violence, and other related issues through her university’s anti-sexual violence group, Explorers Against Sexual Violence. In addition to this work, she has also assisted with volunteer recruitment for Philadelphia’s 2015 March to End Rape Culture, and plans to be involved in organizing the United Nations Association of Greater Philadelphia’s 2016 International Women’s Day event. Some of her feminist role models include Alice Paul, Gloria Steinem, and Malala Yousafzai. Outside of her activism, Kathleen enjoys reading mystery novels, watching the Philadelphia Eagles, listening to U2, and anything involving dogs.

Kayla Parker, Washington, D.C., USA

Kayla is a sophomore acting major at Howard University and is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She is passionate about theatre arts and film and strives to use her craft to create positive societal change. In addition to focusing on school, she spends her time working on her web-series, “Black Girls R Us” that aims to uplift black women of all different shapes, sizes, and shades. For updates on episode releases, you can follow her on twitter at @TheTimidLioness.

Julia Tofan, Connecticut, USA

Julia is a student in a rural town in Connecticut. She’s passionate about gender equality and feminism and she aspires to be an activist for marginalized populations. She first became interested in human rights when recognizing the great inequality in the world. She realized that education was a powerful way to combat inequality, so she joined Givology, a nonprofit dedicated to improving access to education, as a blogger. She now also writes for Dreams That Could Be, an organization telling the stories of students facing great challenges but persevering in their education, and is excited about being a Street Harassment Correspondent. She believes raising awareness about issues and educating others is the most powerful way to make a difference, and that’s what she seeks to do. Read her blog posts on Givology and Dreams That Could Be and follow her on Twitter @Julia_Tofan!

ProChange, Germany

ProChange is a group of people between 20 and 64 years of age who are active. ProChange consists of a small group of core members in a network of other activists. Their main focus is on street harassment, sexism and sexualized violence. They are opposed to all forms of exploitation which are all inter-connected.

Meet the Correspondents of the Third Cohort of 2015

Eve Aronson, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Eve is the Director of Hollaback! Amsterdam and dedicates her time to raising awareness and assessing policy on street harassment in the Netherlands and beyond. Her recent work, “Psst Schatje!: Street Harassment in Amsterdam, Online and Beyond” provides a critical analysis of the street harassment landscape in the Netherlands and explores innovative, digital solutions to the problem. Driven by a passion to bring light to human rights abuses and different forms of gender-based violence, Eve devotes her time to shedding light on and combatting street harassment and human trafficking through her non-profit work, previous work as a journalist and on- and offline activism. Originally from the U.S., Eve recently completed a dual Masters program in Women and Gender Studies in the Netherlands and in Hungary. She is an avid backpacker and lover of languages. Follow Eve on Twitter at @evearonson or learn more about her here.

Meghna Bhat, Chicago, USA

Meghna is a doctoral candidate in the Criminology, Law, and Justice program at the University of Illinois at Chicago, with a specialization in Gender and Women Studies. She is currently working on her dissertation, which focuses on representations of violence against women in a widely viewed form of Indian popular culture, Bollywood cinema. Having grown up in the metropolitan city of Mumbai (India) and having lived in the USA for 11 years, Meghna has witnessed and experienced gender-based oppression, including street harassment, from an early age. As a South Asian woman, these unsettling experiences motivated her to pursue this field and be an outspoken advocate for LGBTQI rights, prevention of hate crimes and discrimination, de-stigmatization of mental health taboos, and finding resources and safe spaces for survivors of gender-based violence. Meghna finds painting, walking by the lake, photography, traveling, and dance therapeutic for self-care.

Chelsea Cloud, Michigan, USA

Chelsea is a full-time sales assistant for an advertising company in West Michigan and a part-time Graphic Design student. She is proud to call herself a feminist and feels passionately about speaking up for women’s rights. In the past few years, Chelsea has developed a habit of running (and actually enjoying it sometimes.) Her experiences with street harassment while out on her runs have prompted her to advocate through writing. Her passion for writing started at a very early age, when she discovered the power of words and how even a simple poem can unite and empower. Chelsea loves otters, adventures, reading YA fiction and The Walking Dead. You can find her on twitter @LitSmitten.

Sara Conklin, Washington, DC, USA

Sara is currently living, working, and dancing her way through Washington, DC. With an apparent aversion to land-locked states, Sara has lived in Boston, Miami, San Francisco, and Jacksonville. She professionally works in fundraising events, at an organization that empowers women who face homelessness through recovery, wellness training, and housing. Feeling constantly inspired at work by the tremendous amount of strength from these women, Sara chose to write for Stop Street Harassment to encourage dialogue and to help provide a space of empowerment for anyone facing harassment. In her personal life, Sara is an avid traveler and will have touched down on 6 continents as of October 2015 and plans to play with the penguins on Antarctica sometime in the near future. She runs her own photography company (saraconklinphotography.com) and a popular website that seeks to connect the world through pictures, sarapose.com.

Larisa Cristea, Romania

Larisa is a master’s student in Marketing and Advertising, with a newly discovered passion for feminism and gender equality. She has volunteered with institutionalized youth and co-founded the “Drawing your future” NGO. She tends to consider herself a people lover and a pacifist. She has been writing fiction stories since she was 12. She loves reading good books – usually fiction, and afterwards fantasizes about the beautiful places in the books, wondering if she will ever get there. That’s why another passion she has is travelling and meeting new people. She loves to hear their stories, learn their way of thinking and acting and then, share what she’s learned with others. She feels inspired by music, feeling more confident and able to write better. She likes the little things in life, including spending quality time with good, enriching and inspiring people.

Roxana Geru, Romania

Roxana is a 21-year-old who is studying psychology. She plans to do a master’s program in Sexuality and Gender Studies. She hopes to one day work within the LGBT community, with sexual workers and/or with people who are suffering from sexuality disorders. She enjoys volunteering and traveling. She likes to fight for human rights, because she truly believes that you should not punish or bully someone just because they different from you and also, because she wants to see a safe and fair world for the next generations. She recently had the chance to study in France for a semester and then received a scholarship to study at a summer school in Denmark. This changed her thinking: she had fear when she walked down the streets in France and Denmark, but in Denmark you really should not be worried. This helped her realize how stupid it is for her as a human to be afraid.

Hannah Rose Johnson, USA

Hannah Rose often feels like she’s floating through a slow, bright fog. In school she studied a collage of sociology, gender studies, art and writing. She has tea bags of feminism, queerness, madness, and longing steeped inside of herself. You can check her out on the collaborative artistic poetic sound project HotBox Utopia. Hannah will be writing from Tucson, Arizona and Lewiston, Maine (US) as she transitions from the Southwest to the Northeast for a career in sexual violence prevention and advocacy at the college level.

Marinella Matejčić, Croatia

Marinella is a freelance journalist/writer, feminist activist, and soon-to-be administrative law student. Her feminist work is mostly oriented on sexual and reproductive health and rights and she is enrolled in the Women Deliver Young Leaders program. Marinella writes for Croatian portal on gender, sex and democracy called Libela.org and covers CEE stories for globalvoicesonline.org. Her favourite pastime is reading and discussing the essence of life with her eight-year-old daughter. Feel free to follow her on Twitter @mmatejci.

Smriti RDN Neupane, Nepal

Smriti is a feminist who dreams of a world filled with love, kindness and justice. She wishes that the world were a home without any boundaries. She is an optimist and believes that every little thing we do matters. She coordinated Safe cities campaign in Nepal with a team of feminist activists of various organisations, networks and community groups from 2011 to 2014 and is still voluntarily engaged with it. She has been a part of the multi country research team pertaining to women’s engagement in unpaid care work. She advocates for recognition, reduction and redistribution of work burden of women to increase women’s representation at all levels. She is currently engaged in an action research and advocacy on women’s leadership in climate change adaptation focusing on women’s time use. Doing workshops and facilitating training with women and girls on women’s rights issues gives her energy and the drive to work on. She also believes that children and youth are the agents of change that we want to see in our world and engages with them whenever she gets an opportunity. She loves to read and write and has a blog which she intends to make active.

Sara Rigon, Italy

Sara is a registered General Practitioner in Italy and New Zealand; she also collaborates with NGOs that offer medical health care to migrants. A women’s right activist, she is the founder and current lead of the newly established Equally Different group within the European Junior General Practitioners Organization, the Vasco da Gama Movement, branch of the World Organization of Family Doctors. The VdGM Equally Different group tackles gender inequalities in everyday life. We fight conventional stereotypes and gender roles as built-in components of our culture and foundation of prejudice as well as gender violence. The group also collaborates with the VdGM Violence Against Women group to raise awareness on this tragic epidemic phenomenon. When she is not working Sara enjoys making and eating pizza, travelling and twitting @rgn_sr.

Tracey Wise, London, UK

Born and raised in London, Tracey is a graduate of City University. She has spent the best part of her life at gigs and festivals and obsessing about music. She considers herself outside of work, best described as alternative. Alongside this, she is politically aware. After a recent trip to a gig that ended with an act of sexual harassment, it seemed natural to combine her love of music with her political awareness. From this, she created the “Safe Gigs for Women” project. Currently based in London, but with plans to expand, her aims are threefold: Firstly, talking to venues to support them in making changes towards safer environments and taking complaints of sexual harassment seriously. Secondly, challenging prevailing attitudes of gig goers. Lastly, getting bands and artists talking about our work, in the hope it provokes wider debate.

Meet the Correspondents of the Second Cohort of 2015

Melissa Brand, USA
Melissa is a recent graduate from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago where she majored in Communication, Media and Theatre with a minor in journalism. Her honors thesis, The Gendered Newsroom, discussed the treatment of women in newsrooms with a detailed history and comparison to a popular television program to show that gender discrimination is still rampant in the newsroom. She has volunteered for several local agencies that help fight human trafficking in Chicago and throughout the states. Melissa spent a semester abroad in Ireland and traveled to London, Paris and Rome where she witnessed street harassment first hand. Melissa is a freelance writer who loves traveling, music and trying new food. You can follow Melissa on Twitter @LissAhh.

Emma Rachel Deane, UK
Emma is a London-based retail manager for a fast growing women’s lifestyle brand. She is an outspoken advocate for women’s social justice issues with a focus on reproductive rights, sex education and fair media representation. During her time campaigning with organisations including No More Page 3, Stonewall and Abortion Support Network she has developed a passion for direct activism including various forms of protest and petitioning. Emma is also keen to recognise the impact wider economic issues in Britain are currently having on women and adds her voice to The People’s Assembly, an organisation focused on ending the government imposed welfare cuts which have disproportionately affected women in their jobs, welfare payments and public services. A firm believer that knowledge is power, Emma will begin using her spare time in October of this year to study English Literature & Creative Writing at degree level in order to further her understanding of influencing societal change through the written word. She can be found blogging on Raging Hag or tweeting @emmaracheldeane.

Ruth Mair, UK
Ruth is a 23 year old human rights MA student, and only got “into” feminism when she was around 19, through Tumblr of all places, which she still uses as a way of staying informed and re-blogging cat gifs. She has volunteered with a number of charities over the years, including contributing to research in Galop’s Hate Crime Report for 2014, and has had the opportunity to meet a huge number and variety of people, and keep herself informed and active in the field of campaigning and human rights through this. Currently she is a Girl Guide volunteer, helping 11-14 year old girls learn about community, individuality and independence, as well as being involved with a homelessness charity whilst finishing her MA dissertation on the legal and normative rights of terror suspects in the UK (spoiler alert: rights are being violated). She also plays bass in a band called Kinshot, sews as often as she can, and spends time getting annoyed at the cat sleeping on top of her computer.

Luiza Pougy Magalhaes, France/Brazil

Luiza is a 20-year-old from Brazil who considers herself a citizen of the world. As a teenager she moved to Singapore and now she studies International Business in France. Having grown up traveling and having lived across the globe has been an eye-opening experience; she has had the chance to see the role and behavior of women in the society of different cultures as well as better understand the importance of women’s rights. Although she considers herself blessed for such opportunity, it has saddened her to see that street harassment is a constant struggle regardless of country, culture, and race. This has encouraged her to find her voice and raise awareness about the importance of this issue. In spite of having very little practice with writing outside of school, she feels lucky to have been given a platform that will allow me to make a difference.

Liz Merino, USA
Liz is a recent graduate of Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Arts Journalism degree. She is currently a staff writer for a marketing agency in Boston. Throughout her college career, Liz was an outspoken advocate for social issues such as harassment, relationship violence and sexual assault. Using her editor positions within the college newspaper and magazines, her published work has highlighted the growing need for combating sexual assaults, street harassment and other issues women face today. Writing, giving a voice to those that in the moment can’t find their own, has always been her greatest passion. She has always believed in the power of words to change the world. In her free time, Liz enjoys creative writing, drinking copious amounts of coffee, reading and soaking in the sunshine. Follow her on Twitter @slizmerino and Instagram @elizabethmerino93.

Michelle Marie Ryder, USA
Michelle is a freelance writer and community activist. She holds a Bachelors of Liberal Arts in Postcolonial Studies from The Evergreen State College. Passionate about social justice and equality, Michelle is currently doing anti-poverty work in Washington State. She’ll be studying Arabic at Middlebury Language School this summer and traveling to Belfast in 2015 in search of an affordable postgraduate degree. Michelle has written for Infita7.com, Bluestockings Magazine, and The New Verse News on a range of social justice issues, and shares her poetry regularly at poetrywho.blogspot.com.

Rebecca Smyth, Spain
Rebecca is currently living, working and stumbling through ballet classes in Barcelona. Originally from Kilkenny, she has a degree in European Studies and a Master’s in Gender and Women’s Studies from Trinity College Dublin, and will be setting up shop in Edinburgh come September to do an LLM in Human Rights Law. She has volunteered with EIL Ireland, Trócaire and the National Women’s Council of Ireland, and is about to start working on a project in the gender equality department of Oxfam Intermón. As part of her degree and Master’s she’s learned and written about issues of gender and inequality from Renaissance Florence to Guatemala, pop culture to reproductive rights, and street harassment in all its ugly forms. A great big stonking feminist and ally, she’s a firm believer in the absolute necessity of an intersectional approach to tackling inequality. She loves music, reading, dancing, sloths, dogs, meerkats, Bob’s Burgers and The Good Wife.

Julka Szymańska, the Netherlands
Julka is a 25-year-old feminist activist and soon-to-be Cultural Science student with a generous amount of life experiences -including street harassment – and even more passion for social justice. After an adventurous and rebellious time as a FEMEN Sextremist, she now has her teeth sunk into the struggle against commercial sexual exploitation and refuses to let go. Other causes she feels strongly about include women’s liberation, LGBT rights, vegetarianism & veganism, peaceful class warfare, anti-homelessness activism and generally a more fair world for all. To blow off steam from all these issues she enjoys making people smile with her music, accompanied by her upright bass Violetta, hitchhiking, indulging in geeky fiction and spending quality time with her lovely friends.

Laura Voth, USA
Laura is an emerging adult-slash-college student studying to enter a healthcare profession. She hails from the very middle of the USA. In addition to studying and writing, Laura works at her university’s women’s center where she helps design and implement programs on all things lady. She is particularly interested in exploring issues women face in their professional lives, educating others on the meaning of consent, and working to make public spaces in her community safe for women. She joined Stop Street Harassment as a blogger to not only share her own stories, but to encourage others to do the same. Laura spends her free time trying to find the perfect cookie recipe, reading (she’s not too picky when it comes to genre), and meowing back at her cats.

Shyeta Williams, USA
Shyeta discovered her voice loud and clear amid the redwoods and fog at UC Santa Cruz, where she earned her BA in Politics. She’s currently enjoying the sound her pen makes against the wind chill in Oakland, CA. Her writing and poetry are typically feminist focused, but she also covers culture, identity, and art. Shyeta is finding her wings in the writing world and searching for the perfect interdisciplinary MA program, while blogging and free-styling prose till her fingers no longer hope for better poems.

Meet the Correspondents of the First Cohort of 2015

Tara Willoughby, Canberra, Australia

Tara is loving life in the big city after moving to Canberra 12 months ago. She holds a BA/LLB(Hons) from the University of Newcastle and majored in Linguistics and French before finishing off her law studies. She currently works with AWAVA (the Australian Women Against Violence Alliance) indulging her love of social media. Her main areas of interest are violence against women and violence against children, specifically sexual violence. You can find her on Twitter as @angelbird72 or @Tash_Because or being silly as one half of the ‘slice-of-life’ podcast Heaps Funny But.

Tyler Bradley, Michigan, USA

Tyler is a senior majoring in graphic design at Saginaw Valley State University and plans to undertake a graduate program in higher education in the fall. Tyler’s preferred pronouns are they/them/their, but is comfortable with masculine pronouns as well. Tyler launched an “I, Too, Am Saginaw Valley” campaign to educate the campus community about microaggressions and privilege. They currently serve on executive boards for the college campus’s two gender and sexuality organizations, as well as on boards for several other on-campus organizations. Tyler has a passion for exploring inequities among minority populations, the role of allies in social justice movements, and intersectionality. Tyler aims to bring conversations about inequity into the daily lives of average individuals. When not working on academics, social justice, or other campus involvements, Tyler can be found spending time with his residents in his role as a resident assistant. Follow Tyler on Twitter, @MysteriousLuigi

Simona-Maria Chirciu, Bucharest, Romania

Simona, a fearless and proud feminist activist, is the Vice President of a feminist NGO – FILIA Center. She works as a gender expert on sexual violence against women and is also a mentor for 12 amazing volunteers of FILIA Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Sciences and recently completed a Master of Gender, Politics and Minorities at the National School of Political and Administrative Sciences, with her dissertation on “Street harassment in Bucharest. Case Studies.” Now she’s a PhD student in Political Sciences, working on a thesis on street harassment in Bucharest, a follow-up of her dissertation. Simona began dealing with street harassment at a young age and she is determined to fight against it and against other forms of gender-based violence, discrimination and gender inequality. On 19th October 2014 she organized the first Solidarity March against Street Harassment in Bucharest and she is planning to make this issue more public. Simona loves animals & nature, books, volunteering, cooking and traveling. Her favourite motto is “How wrong it is for a woman to expect the man to create the world she wants, rather than to create it herself” – Anais Nin. You can follow her on Facebook .

Catarina Demony, London, UK

Catarina is the founder of The Voiceless, a media platform focusing on human rights violations, and recently graduated from Kingston University London with a Journalism degree. She has previously worked as a Communications Coordinator at London School of Economics Students’ Union, as well as University of the Arts. Catarina also works closely with Amnesty LDN and is a Youth Advocate at Index on Censorship.

June Eric-Udorie, Brighton, UK

June is a 16-year-old teen feminist activist and blogger. She campaigns on ending FGM with young people’s charity, Integrate Bristol. She’s also an advisor and ambassador for global children’s charity Plan UK and she sits on their board of trustees as a Young Trustee. She can often be found ranting, talking about vaginas and smashing patriarchy on her blog letstalkvaginas.wordpress.com or on Twitter @juneericudorie.

Madison Ford, Texas, USA

Madison is a soon-to-be graduate of the University of Texas at Austin studying literature and sociology. Her own experiences with street harassment began during her first year of college and ever since she has become passionate about gender equality, ending violence against women, and achieving social, political, and economic justice for all. Currently, she is working on her undergraduate honors thesis which will survey university students in Austin, TX about their experiences with street harassment, sexual violence, and fear of crime on campus. Previously, Madison has conducted research over race, violence, and the media and has had some of her creative poems published in Hothouse Literary Journal, of the UT Department of English. Although the future is uncertain at the end of her undergraduate career, Madison hopes to continue fighting against street harassment and for social justice wherever she may go next. Follow her on Twitter, @madiford222.

Emily Gillingham, Washington, DC, USA

Emily is a 3L at Michigan State University College of Law, and the president of her school’s chapter of LSRJ. She received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Women’s & Gender Studies from Eastern Michigan University. During law school, she has been lucky enough to work as a research assistant for Professor Hannah Brenner, whose work focuses on issues of gender and the law; advocate for women while interning at the PPO project of the Women’s Law Center of Maryland; and volunteer at End Violent Encounters, Inc., a women’s shelter. Her areas of concentration in law are employment law, family law, reproductive rights, and sex workers’ rights. She’s taking the Maryland Bar Exam in July and hopes to practice in Maryland or DC. Follow her on Twitter @emgillingham.

Lea Goelnitz, Berlin, Germany

Lea works in journalism and women´s rights. She writes about gender and development issues and is involved in the women´s rights NGO Discover Football, which uses football as a tool for empowerment and gender equality. Currently based in Berlin, she worked in India on women´s rights and in Uganda on Menstrual Health Management before. She studied political science and human rights in the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Scotland. Follow her on Twitter, @LeaGoelnitz.

Juliana Guarany, Brazil

Juliana is a fellow from Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and, together with Hamburg University, in Germany, is creating a digital campaign to connect all feminist initiatives around the globe. She was a feminist all her life, but a very recent activist. After two years living in Europe for her Master’s degree in Journalism, Media and Globalisation from Aarhus University and Hamburg University, she returned to her native São Paulo and decided she wouldn’t take any more street harassment quietly. The impact of living under such a sexist mindset was so strong that she soon realized it was just impossible not to act. Returning to Germany, she compares how both countries are dealing with the gender gap. Find out more about her project on violence against women in her blog Whistleblower and follow her on Twitter, @juguarany

Aakriti Karki, Nepal

Aakriti was born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal. Currently, she is a student at Jalalabad Ragib Rabeya Medical College, Sylhet, Bangladesh. She is pursuing a degree in Medicine and General Surgery. She is a member at Women LEAD Nepal – the only leadership development organisation for young women in Nepal. She’s also worked with Hollaback! Kathmandu. As a member of these organisations, she’s had the opportunity to actively participate in the recent #orangeurhood and #16daysofactivism campaigns. She’s visited schools and colleges to provide workshops about street harassment and conducted self defence classes for UNHCR Nepal. She is a freelance writer who likes writing about social issues related to the youth. You can follow her on Twitter @karki_aakriti or Facebook.

LB Klein, Georgia, USA

LB has dedicated her professional and academic career to engaging communities to end violence, support survivors, and advance social justice.She is based in Atlanta, GA. LB is currently a graduate student in the Program on Gender-Based Violence at the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs. She also works as an educator/consultant and a Lead Trainer for Prevention Innovations: Research and Practice for Ending Violence on Campus, a research unit at the University of New Hampshire. She received her BA and MSW from Washington University in St. Louis and previously directed the Emory University Respect Program and the Domestic Violence Court of Saint Louis County’s volunteer advocate program. LB is also passionate about intersectional feminism, reducing activist burnout and fostering sustainable movements, dystopian science fiction, yoga, pedagogy, holistic wellbeing, LGBTQ health, mindfulness, travel, and enjoying a good meal with even better company. You can follow her on Twitter at @LB_Klein and on LinkedIn.

Dylan Jane Manderlink, Arkansas, USA

Dylan is a recent graduate of Emerson College where she self-designed her own major that encompassed her passions for social justice, theatre, education, and activism, entitled Investigative Theatre for Social Change. Dylan’s passion for activism – specifically in regards to women’s rights and female empowerment – grew while serving as her professional & philanthropic sorority’s Vice President and President during her junior and senior year. While in Boston, Dylan looked for opportunities where she could be a part of making a positive and lasting impact in her community through volunteerism, youth mentorship, community organizing, and the arts. Her previous internships include, Green Corps Field School for Environmental Organizing, Pine Street Inn homeless shelter, Community Works (a social justice fundraising cooperative), Year Up, and Liberty in North Korea. Since graduating, Dylan has relocated from Boston to Arkansas to be a high school teacher where she teaches 8th, 10th, and 11th grade Digital Communications and Audio/Visual Technology. Aside from teaching, she is a frequent blogger for a few nonprofits, regular animal shelter volunteer, and member of a local chapter of AAUW. You can keep up with her quirky adventures and passion for social change and community service by visiting her personal blog and keeping up with her on Twitter @DylanManderlink.

Linnet Nyawira Mwangi, Kisumu, Kenya

Linnet is a student at Maseno University in Kisumu, Kenya pursuing a bachelor’s degree in sociology with IT. She is a member of the “I Choose Life Africa- Maseno University” which deals with HIV prevention in and around the university. She is passionate about the empowerment of the girl child and women as well as youth mentorship and empowerment. During her free time she writes articles relating to human rights, especially on social issues such as gender-based violence and rape. She also writes on issues that enlighten individuals on various aspects of life at her blog nyawiramwangi.wordpress.com. She also enjoys doing charity work, surfing, and working with institutions that promote human dignity and make life better life better in the society. Follow her on Twitter @Shantel_lyn and Facebook @lynnette Shantellah

Dr. Dena Simmons, New York, USA

Dena serves as the Associate Director of Education and Training at Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence. She is a recent graduate of Teachers College, Columbia University, where her research focused on teacher preparedness to address bullying in the middle school setting. Her work and research are unified by the theme of empowering others and confronting and interrupting multiple forms of violence and injustice. Previously, Dena served as a middle school teacher in her native Bronx, and during summers off from teaching, she worked with Family Care International on maternal health initiatives and served as a consultant at the Directorate of Gender Affairs in Antigua to provide better health services for Dominican sex workers. Dena is a 2013 Phillips Exeter Academy Dissertation Fellow, 2004 Harry S. Truman Scholar, 2005 Fulbright Fellow, 2010 Education Pioneer Fellow, and 2010 Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow. She has published on teaching and bullying for several blogs and outlets and spoken on college campuses, academic conferences, and at two TEDx events. She has also been profiled for her teaching and activism in a Beacon Press Book, Do It Anyway: The New Generation of Activists and in the AOL/PBS project called MAKERS: Women Who Make America. Follow her on Twitter @denasimmons.

Alicia Wallace, Nassau, Bahamas

Alicia is a freelance writer and public educator in Nassau, Bahamas. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from St. Mary’s University, Nova Scotia. Alicia’s interest in social justice was ignited while working as a live-in for at-risk youth. Passionate about youth advocacy, women’s rights, and issues of gender, she is the Director of Hollaback! Bahamas – part of a global movement to end street harassment. She is also Youth Ambassador to End Sexual Violence in Conflict (Bahamas) and co-founder of Coalition to End Gender-based Violence & Discrimination. She is committed to partnering with other members of civic society to use the written word, visual and performing arts, and open forums to educate and engage the public as a catalyst for social change. She enjoys reading, writing, cycling, baking, eating cupcakes, huge cups of tea, and penpalling. You can connect with her on Twitter (@_AliciaAudrey and on her blog.

Meet the 2014 and 2013 Blog Correspondents.

Meet the 15 Correspondents of the Third 2014 Cohort

Katie Bowers, NY, USA

Katie is a social worker and community educator interested in ending gender-based violence, working with youth to make the world a better place, and using pop culture as a tool for social change. Katie holds a B.S. from Cornell University and an M.S.W. from Hunter College. Katie found her footing as a feminist and activist through her work as a Student Area Coordinator with Amnesty International and as an intern with Girls for Gender Equity and Make the Road New York. When not working with in real life young people at her professional gig, Katie volunteers with the Harry Potter Alliance, an organization that utilizes the power of the internet and popular stories like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games to make activism accessible and engaging. Check out her writing at the Imagine Better Blog and geek out with her on Twitter, @CornishPixie9.

Daniel Burdick, CA, USA

Daniel remains a longtime activist for peace, the environment, and social equality. During his otherwise unremarkable childhood, he experienced firsthand the profound effects public harassment made on his friends and family. While the alternatives of the late 1960’s were being explored, the rebellious although impressionable teen stumbled upon early feminist literature; resulting in his adoption of its core philosophies. An active participant in the 1980’s “Myth California USA” movement ( a counterpoint to the national beauty pageant in Santa Cruz, California), he soon embraced a lifetime commitment with a Women’s Studies UC graduate. Daniel is also the parent of two independent, high-achieving female offspring; and continues to offer creative strategies in transportation and recycling issues regarding climate change, wildlife preservation, and the social ethics of media and technology. He currently works as a design engineer and is an avid bicyclist.

Laura Bustamante, Lima, Peru

Laura ha estudiado Administración en Turismo en Universidades de Perú y Barcelona, y Estudios de Género en la ONG Flora Tristán. Orgullosa feminista que le encanta escribir, viajar y comer, con un gran interés en activismo para igualdad de género, mujer y la comunidad LGTB. Actualmente realiza un taller con niños y niñas en una escuela pública para que se comprometan con la igualdad entre mujeres y hombres, asimismo rechacen toda forma de violencia, discriminación y/o desvalorización de la mujer/niña. Apasionada al arte, la danza y el diseño. La puedes seguir en Twitter en @laeureka

Laura has studied Tourism Management in Universities of Peru and Barcelona, and Gender Studies at the NGO Flora Tristan. A proud feminist who loves to write, traveling and food, with a strong interest in activism for gender equality, women and LGBTcommunity. She is currently conducting a workshop with children in a public school to commit them on gender equality by rejecting all forms of violence, discrimination and devaluation of women and girl. She is passionate about art, dance and design. You can follow her on Twitter at @laeureka

Sarah Colomé, IL, USA

Sarah is a progress-focused educator and advocate dedicated to building strategic coalitions centered on creating social change. Previously serving as the SOARS Booking Director for A Long Walk Home, Inc., Sarah now serves as an adjunct professor in DePaul University’s Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies department, teaching on issues of multiculturalism, identity, and social justice. Her passion for feminism and multicultural justice was ignited in college, where she began her own exploration of identity. Sarah sits on the Board of Directors for Chicago Women’s Health Center, and volunteers as a Medical & Legal Advocate empowering sexual violence survivors on behalf of Rape Victim Advocates, in Chicago. Having traveled both nationally and internationally as a competitive collegiate public speaker, Sarah acts as a consultant, coaching collegiate debate, and providing trainings on issues of equity, justice, and advocacy across the country. Her writing has been published in Fair Observer, F Bomb, and Brazen Life, and you can follow Sarah’s updates on Linkedin or hear her perspectives on Twitter.

Vanessa Diakides, London, England

Vanessa works on the Youth Programme at FORWARD UK and is currently finishing her MA in Women and Child Abuse at CWASU. Her professional interests and experience include supporting women and youth to access education and employment opportunities, direct support work with women experiencing homelessness, substance misuse issues, forms of gendered abuse (including sexual violence, domestic violence and FGM) and those involved in street sex work, research into issues affecting BAMER women and youth, intersectionality between gender, race, disability and religion; and campaigning, lobbying and outreach. She is committed to promoting inclusion and combating poverty and discrimination in all its forms. All views are her own.

Angie Evans, Washington, DC, USA

Angie is a community organizer and social worker. She started her career in the progressive movement during her teens, coordinating punk rock shows and community events in order to create space for youth in her small town. After completing her Masters in Social Work and “getting her feet wet” in Missouri politics, she moved to DC to work on health care reform and economic inequality. At the Center for Community Change she did everything from fill congressional hearings with bales of hay to train new organizers in the South. Most recently she helped grow and mobilize a coalition of 1,900 national, state, and local groups advocating for low-income programs with the Coalition on Human Needs. Last year she quit her job to travel around the world with her husband. They have just returned and are continuing to write about travel and adventure at http://whereisseangie.com

Menusha Gunasekara, Matale, Sri Lanka

Menusha is a recent graduate of Asian University for Women, Bangladesh and holds a B.S in Public Health. She is an advocate for Peace and Human Rights, Women Issues and Environmental Protection. She is also an ambassador for UN My World Survey and a Rising Star at WEDU leadership development program. Recent chaotic incident of street harassment in Sri Lanka inspired her to join SSH and play an active role. By joining SSH, her goal is to educate and raise awareness about the harassment that takes place on the streets of Sri Lanka which has been tolerated by women silently. She enjoys yoga, meditation and walking in green areas and tasting dishes from different cultures. She can be reached via LinkedIn.

Andrea Flores Hernández, Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Andrea is in her second year of university, studying Social Communication. She loves languages (She is currently studying French at L’Alliance Française in Santa Cruz), she is into photography, and she is passionate about the books. Like many other women, she has suffered street harassment, even in the street where her house is located; but that does not stop her optimism and her belief that this type of harassment can be eliminated. Currently, she is part of a program in her city that improves citizen journalism. You can follow her on Twitter: @AndreaFlores116

Diana Hinova, Sofia, Bulgaria

Diana has experienced life as a woman on the streets of Bulgaria, Russia, the Untied States, and Nepal. She has a Master’s in Public Policy from Georgetown University and works as a consultant to INGOs on topics generally unrelated to gender, while making efforts in her spare time to engage others in dismantling the norms that permit gender violence. Traveling and eating well also rank among her priorities. Get in touch or see what else Diana is up to @dialeidoscope or letnimletni.blogspot.com

Monica Ibrahim, Cairo, Egypt

Monica is the communications manager of HarassMap, an Egyptian initiative aiming at ending social acceptability of sexual harassment. Monica is also a Cairo-based reporter published in several local and international media outlets: The GlobalPost, Scripps Howard Wire and Al-Shorouk newspaper among others. She is also the winner of GroundTruth Fellowship to report on youth unemployment in Egypt and has been previously community manager at “Open Elections Egypt”, a news platform launched by Stpryful and Google to provide live updates on Egyptian elections in 2014. Monica has a degree in Mass communication and journalism from Cairo University; she also studied human rights at Beirut Arab University and Women Leadership at Kansas University. She has a special interest and focus on entrepreneurship and culture. You can follow her on twitter or her personal blog.

Porsha King, California, USA

Porsha is an independently contracted paralegal, specializing in civil matters, including but not limited to: women’s rights, tenants rights, police misconduct and civil liberties. She advocates for local poor and homeless people who get unfair treatment, and/ or harassment from local (law enforcement) agencies. She volunteers at a local Salvation Army and at the San Diego’s Women’s Resource Fair for the past two years. She acquired her A.S. Paralegal Studies from Kelsey Jenney College with Dean’s List accreditation. After experiencing what she found out to be Street Harassment, she decided to work on establishing a local ordinance that will punish offenders with fines and or custody/ community service. Her plans include a opening a Family Justice Center for domestic violence victims, and bringing more awareness to the street harassment cause. She also has a podcast: blogtalkradio.com/porshakingshow
Facebook/ gmail/ Twitter: @porshakingshow | Paralegal Info: Facebook/ Twitter: @FTRLegal Gmail: fortherecordlegal

Ngwentah Berlyne Ngwalem, Buea, Cameroon

Berlyne is a Cameroonian-based women’s human rights activist, passionate and determined to put an end to social injustice of any kind. She has been an activist long before she came to know who an activist was and what activism really means. She has a BA in Literature, English Language, Performing and visual arts from the University of Buea, Cameroon. She talks about women’s rights, social injustice, and the importance of emotional wellbeing at any given opportunity. Her method of activism is very spontaneous and has no specific place or time to create change. She adores social media activism because it gives her the opportunity to get people’s point of views from across the globe and equally share what it is like living as a Cameroon woman living in a patriarchal Cameroonian society. She loves singing, spending time with her family or chilling at the beach. You can find her on twitter @Luvequalityrule and Facebook.

Yvonne Ní Mhurchú, Limerick, Ireland

Yvonne graduated last year with a BA degree in psychology and philosophy. She volunteers as a SATU (psychological support) worker for her local Rape Crisis Centre and is an advocate for women’s issues and equality. Her belief is that education is hugely important in fighting inequality, harassment and sexual violence. She has previously been published on stop street harassment, ihollaback and is a regular contributor to the website fem2pt0. This year Yvonne started a feminist group, the Limerick Feminist Network which is growing stronger every day. She has also recently coordinated an anti-harassment campaign aimed at night life venues in her area called Good Night Out and is currently working with other feminist groups to help them start the campaign in their regions. You can follow her, her feminist group or her anti-harassment campaign on twitter: @YvonneNiMhurchu, @lmkfeminist and @GNOLimerick.

Khiara Ortiz, NY, USA

Khiara is a recent graduate of New York University with a BAS in Journalism and Psychology. Though she currently works as an assistant in the contracts department for Hachette Book Group, a publishing company, and is passionate about writing, language, and literature, she has increasingly become interested in the feminist movement, specifically in ending street harassment. Living in New York City and experiencing this type of sexual oppression first-hand has made her become aware of the degree to which it is still a problem in societies across the world and just as much of a crisis as heightened forms of sexual violence. Khiara hopes to organize an awareness event during next year’s Sexual Harassment Awareness Month in April 2015. If you also live in NYC and would like to collaborate with her, please feel free to contact her at KhiaraOrtiz@gmail.com.

Pamela Segura, NY, USA

Pam recently graduated from Manhattan College with a degree in English and music. She writes for SciArt in America, an online magazine that focuses on the connections between science, art, and technology, and the music website Pancakes and Whiskey. Before her senior year of college, Pam completed a 117-page grant-funded research paper on the relationship between gender performativity and sexual violence. That project compelled her to continue exploring the social, political, racial, ethnic, and biological factors that construct and deconstruct gender. She is also a volunteer at Groundwork Hudson Valley, an environmentalist nonprofit based in Yonkers, New York. When she is not rambling on about her love of feminism or the English department at her alma mater, Pam writes nature poetry, goes on runs, and plays the blues on her guitar. You can follow her on Instagram or Twitter @pamlivinlovin.

Siel, London, England

Siel is currently doing her master’s degree in Middle Eastern studies with a major in contemporary Islam at SOAS University in London. She has spent a year in the Middle East to study Arabic and to gain insight in the Islamic society, and where she experienced the reality of street harassment in the Arab world. In addition to trying to fight gender issues in the Middle East and beyond, she writes her own fashion blog Mademoisielle.com, and she’s also starting up an online fashion, lifestyle & relationships magazine for muslim women. If she still has some spare time left, Siel likes SATC re-runs, the occasional pilates session or cooking up anything that involves avocado. Find her on twitter and instagram under @mademoisielle for way too many selfies and general over-sharing.

Meet the 10 Correspondents of the Second 2014 Cohort

Lorna M. Hartman, Spokane, WA, USA

Lorna has studied and written about rape and interpersonal violence since she was a teenager. In the 1990s she spent a year in Thailand as a teacher. She will never forget some of the things she experienced and saw Thai women experience that year. She has a bachelor’s in journalism, and this past June she graduated with a second bachelor’s in interdisciplinary studies, taking classes in journalism, computer programming and design. She is raising three young, kindhearted male allies. In between babies she served on the local rape hotline, answering calls and driving to emergency rooms to advocate for victims and connect them with resources they needed. She likes singing and playing music, traveling, and constantly learning new professional skills. Her favorite dessert is sticky rice with mango and coconut milk.

Kasumi Hirokawa, State College, PA, USA

Kasumi is a recent graduate from Penn State with a BA in journalism. Her writing has been published in Valley Magazine, City Weekend Shanghai, Penn State GeoBlog and Shanghai Daily. Kasumi speaks Japanese, English, Mandarin and Shanghainese. She has lived in Japan, China and the United States and visited many more including Morocco, UK and Thailand. She is obsessed with everything Mediterranean and Maghrebi. Her life goal is to visit every single country in the world and perhaps acquire a new language. In her spare time, she can be found either curling up with books, experimenting on a new recipe, hanging out with fellow feminists or belly dancing. You can follow her on Twitter, @kasumihrkw

Kirstin Kelley, Monterey, CA, USA

Kirstin is a Master’s Student in Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and a news editor at the Women’s International Perspective (The WIP). She discovered her passion for feminism while studying Psychology and Sociology and Anthropology at Green Mountain College. Kirstin has been a human rights and environmental activist since early childhood. Her research focuses on how otherwise normal people can treat others inhumanely, with a focus on stereotypes. Now she is most interested in how ecofeminism can pave the way to a better world, transactional feminism, and deep ecology. You can follower her on Twitter at @KirstinKelley1, where she regularly posts about human rights issues around the world.

Jessie Koerner, Denver, Colorado, USA

Jessie is a longtime human rights activist with a feminist focus. She’s been involved with multiple organizations, including founding the Amnesty International chapter at her undergrad, being an active participant in JustWorld International, and managing the social media accounts for the Global Women’s Network and winnovating.com, where she also blogs. In addition, Jessie will also be part of the Hollaback! fall class, and starting a chapter of the anti-street harassment group in Denver in late 2014. With an M.A. in Global Health and International Security, she’s committed to making this world a better place. Jessie is also an expert in cheap red wine, Pinterest crafts, and over-sharing on Twitter. Find her @pearlsandspurs there and on Instagram, or at pearlsandspurs.com, where she swears she’s going to start writing more.

Cristina del Mar Quiles, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Cristina es una periodista y productora de noticias de San Juan, Puerto Rico. Posee un bachillerato de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras, donde también completa su maestría en Consejería. Ha trabajado como reportera para medios impresos y digitales. Actualmente, es una de las productoras de Hoy en las Noticias de Radio Universidad de Puerto Rico. Su interés en luchar contra el acoso callejero comenzó durante sus años como estudiante universitaria, cuando lo sufrió, más que nunca, mientras caminaba desde su hospedaje hasta el campus. Le apasionan los temas relacionados con la justa representación de la mujer en los medios, la alfabetización mediática y la educación. Además, disfruta de viajar y de la jardinería. Cree en un Puerto Rico y en una sociedad entera libre de prejuicios, donde las oportunidades sean accesibles para todas las personas, sin importar su clase, raza o género. Puedes seguirla en Twitter en @cristinadelmarq

Cristina is a journalist and a radio producer. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and is finishing her Master’s in Counseling, both from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. She’s worked as a reporter for print and web media and now she is news producer at Radio Universidad de Puerto Rico. Her interest in fighting sexual and street harassment started through personal experience as a student living at one of the main urban areas in San Juan, where she walked everyday from home to college campus. She’s passionate about the equal representation of women in media, education, media literacy, storytelling, traveling and gardening. She envisions a Puerto Rico and an entire society where opportunities are available for everyone, despite the class, race or gender. Follow her on Twitter @cristinadelmarq

Brittany Oliver, Baltimore, MD, USA

Brittany Oliver is a graduate of Towson University and holds a B.S in Mass Communications. She is an advocate and thought leader for civic and societal issues related to feminism, social justice and civil rights. Brittany works in the non-profit sector and supports local anti-street harassment advocacy through Hollaback! Baltimore. Her goal in writing for Stop Street Harassment is to educate people about the harassment that takes place on the streets of Baltimore, which she’s experienced her whole life. To learn more about her work, visit www.brittanytoliver.com.

Dearbhla Quinn, Dublin, Ireland and Brussels, Belgium

Dearbhla (pronounced Der-vla) loves the four ‘Fs’ -Food, film, fiction and feminism. She graduated from BESS (Business and Sociology), in Trinity College Dublin, last year. Since then she’s been deciding what to do with her life, and that journey has brought her to Brussels, Belgium where she is in the midst of a think-tank internship working in the areas of gender, equality and employment. On the weekends she’s a tour guide and enthusiastic wine and Belgian beer drinker. She’s decided to combine here love of books and feminism into the novel idea of, during June, reading exclusively women authors. Feel free to join #WomenAuthorMonth and tweet your experience. You can find her discussing her life, politics and the four F’s on Twitter @imoshedinheels and her blogs. Au Revoir!

Corina Thorose, Melbourne, Australia

Corina is a journalist who is currently in a Masters’ program in Professional Writing. In addition to writing for Stop Street Harassment, she volunteers with White Ribbon Australia and the Women’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service. Her passions include music, literature and pyjamas, and she spends her free time reviewing theatre and film. Corina’s creative and critical work can be found at Thehumbleopinion.me and her women’s opinion pieces can be found at Theirownbells.com. You can also view her articles on social media: @BrandosBride, www.facebook.com/theirownbells, instagram.com/theirownbells

Suzanne Vyborney, Oakland, CA

Born in South Korea and raised in Northern California, Suzanne studied philosophy and environmental ethics in college and is currently plotting ways to make the corporate world more socially responsible. Often found ranting about the patriarchy, racism, and the prison industrial complex, what Suzanne loves most about her social justice work is connecting with and being inspired by her amazing community in Oakland and beyond. Suzanne is also an editorial board member of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights’ blog, Ella’s Voice, the special events chair for the brand new Oakland chapter of the national progressive leadership training institute New Leaders Council, and a volunteer for the nationally renowned anti-street-harassment campaign, Stop Telling Women To Smile. In between, Suzanne can be found making mosaics, working on social justice-infused comedy sketches, sending many an unsolicited cat video and recovering from brunch. You can follow her on twitter @zantropa

Meet the 10 Correspondents of the First 2014 Cohort

Andrea Ayres-Deets, San Francisco, CA, USA

Andrea is interested in four things: intersectional feminism, checking privilege, cats, and space. Okay, so there are a lot more things she’s interested in, but there’s only time for so many. Originally from Chicago, she recently moved to San Francisco with her husband and cat. Before writing for SSH, she worked as a politics intern at PolicyMic and field organizer. She currently consults with startups in the SF area on content and how to better engage users. You can follow her on twitter: @missafayres or check out her website ayres-deets.com.

Rocío Andrés, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Rocío holds a Bachelor´s degree in Audiovisual Communication, History of Art (both Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain) and a Master´s in Education (Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Spain, 2010). She has six years experience as a TV and advertising producer. Most recently, she has been working as an English, Spanish and Secondary teacher in different countries. Today, she is based in Edinburgh as a nursery teacher and collaborates with an online magazine. Her interest in sexual harassment started through personal research on the Egyptian Arab Spring and then through profound and careful readings of gang rapes in Tahrir Square and its media coverage. She will soon write a thesis on it. She has a great passion for Egyptian women´s fight against sexual harassment and, extensively, for all women around the world against sexual violence. Since then, she also wants to fight. Follow her on Twitter, @ioandres.

Heather Frederick, Austin, TX, USA

Heather has been dedicated to working for the human rights of all people since she was in high school. While earning her BA in Women’s Studies, Spanish and Linguistics at San Diego State University she was active with the National Organization for Women and VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood. At the UN-Mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica, where she earned her MA in Gender & Peacebuilding, Heather participated in the Vagina Monologues and organized the university’s first Clothesline Project to raise awareness of gender-based violence. She currently works to end IPV as a Supervisor for The National Dating Abuse Helpline, www.loveisrespect.org. Her passions include intersectional feminism, reproductive justice, languages, travel, blogging at www.FeministActivism.com (@FeministSNVA) and bringing an end to human rights abuses.

Pallavi Kamat, Mumbai, India

Pallavi is a qualified Chartered Accountant and a Commerce Graduate from the University of Mumbai, India, with around 12 years of experience working in the corporate sector. Currently, she is working in the Credit Department of a new generation private sector bank. She is passionate about life, books, movies, music and friends. She is proud to declare that she has been a feminist as far as she can remember. She can be found blogging about various issues, specifically books and movies, at www.pallosworld.blogspot.in. She openly rants about issues on Twitter, @pallavisms.

Kriti Khatri, Bhaktapur, Nepal

Kriti is student of MSc chemistry. She is engaged in different social organization in Nepal and has undertaken different responsibilities for conducting projects like awareness campaign on menstrual health, women literacy and entrepreneurship etc. Currently she is working on anti-street harassment issues in Nepal with the Astitwa Foundation. She enjoys expressive writings and works as a web content writer as a profession. She writes and researches stories for astiwa.com where she emphasizes women’s voices which are suppresses by social prejudice. She loves the idea of volunteerism and she envisions a society where every human being, despite their gender, social and racial identity, can be able to live a prosperous, equal and respectful life as a global citizen. Find more of her writing on her blog.

Katie Monroe, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Katie is passionate about the intersection between gender equality and active transportation (biking and walking). A graduate of Haverford College with a BA in Anthropology / Concentration in Gender and Sexuality Studies, she works to create inclusive spaces within the bicycling movement. She founded the Women Bike PHL campaign at the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia in 2013 to make riding a bicycle more fun and feasible for Philadelphia women of all ages and backgrounds. She also works at the Philly nonprofit Gearing Up, which gives some of Philadelphia’s most marginalized women – those in transition from incarceration, addiction, and/or abuse – the opportunity to ride bicycles for exercise, transportation, and personal growth. She loves biking and walking in Philadelphia and hopes for a day when street harassment isn’t such a daily part of the experience. Follow her on Twitter, @cmon_roe.

Brittany Oliver, Baltimore, MD, USA

Jeanette R, Irvine, CA, USA

Jeanette is a recent university graduate with a lifelong passion for social justice and change. She is particularly interested in issues of gender, human rights, race, equality, and immigration. She has had a lifelong love affair with writing as not only a creative medium, but also as a powerful tool for socially transformative change and advocacy. She is very excited about helping advance the mission of SSH in creating safe, harassment-free spaces for all people.

Joe Samalin, New York City, NY, USA

Joe Samalin has been addressing gender-based violence for over 15 years, starting as a student activist. Based in NYC, he was the Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator for Men Can Stop Rape, a trainer for the Anti-Stalking Program at Safe Horizon, co-facilitated a program for abusive teen partners, and lived in Japan for four years and examined gender-based violence and rape culture there. Additionally he has been an assistant chef, professional archaeologist, and made origami window displays for local shops at Christmas-time in high school. In March 2012 he co-created and directed ‘Sh*t Men Say To Men Who Say Sh*t To Women On The Street’, a YouTube video modeling men interrupting street harassment of women and girls which subsequently won a CDC award for Injury and Violence Prevention. He is currently the Outreach and Training Manager for the Disaster Distress Helpline and is examining among other things gender-based violence in the aftermath of disasters. Follow him on Twitter, @joesamalin.

Sandria Washington, Chicago, IL, USA

Sandria is a writer, health/wellness ambassador and community activist. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduate (B.S. Advertising, ’02) has a passion for empowering girls and women, philanthropy and her personal development (i.e., constantly doing or learning something to help live her best life EVER!). She is a longtime volunteer with several local and national organizations and has facilitated programs/workshops for The Metropolitan Board of the Chicago Urban League, Young Women’s Leadership Charter School and Illinois Caucus of Adolescent Health. During 2012-2013, she served as a GirlTrek Harriet Tubman Trailblazer Fellow and continues to advocate for the health of Black women and girls as a Chicago City Rep. Sandria is a concert junkie, award-winning natural hair model, loving mommy to two kittens she rescued in the park – Dharma and Cozy – and certified yoga teacher. Read her ChicagoNow blog and follow her on Twitter @SandriaWrites.

Meet the July – December 2013 Correspondents

Lisane Thirsk, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Lisane is a feminist interested in creative tactics to make the world a better place for women and other marginalized groups around the world. She holds a B.A. in Latin American Studies and Spanish from the University of British Columbia. In 2012, she completed a Master’s in Socio-Legal Studies at York University in Toronto, where she wrote her Major Research Paper on gender-based street harassment. Her research focused on the case of a woman in Mexico City who successfully used social media to challenge institutional impunity for sexual violence. Now based in Ottawa, Lisane works in the non-profit communications sector and supports local anti-street harassment advocacy through Hollaback! Ottawa.

Levi Grayshon, Manchester, England

Levi graduated from university with a degree in Film and TV screenwriting this summer. As a freelance writer, she has been writing for her own blog, Conventional-Girl, for around a year and a half, where she writes about feminist issues such as the No More Page 3 campaign, street harassment and lad culture, as well as reviewing movies, and talking about music and fashion. More recently, she has been writing for The F-Word and Gamer-UK. You can follow her rants and ramblings on Twitter, @part_heart.

Tilly Grove, London, England

Tilly is studying for a BA in War Studies at King’s College London, where she is writing her dissertation on the effect that perceptions of gender have on the roles which women adopt in conflict. She is a feminist blogger, writing about rape culture for The LINE Campaign, and about intersectionality, pop culture and current affairs on her own bl og. She also volunteers with her local homeless service. You can follow her on Tumblr and Twitter, @tillyjean_.

Pallavi Kamat, Mumbai, India

Bishkeke Feminist Collective (members Salidat and Aikanysh will co-write), Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan,

Salidat Hamilova is an undergraduate student at Kyrgyz National University and a dedicated volunteer at the Bishkek Feminist Collective SQ. Salidat is responsible for coordinating SQ’s initiative to stop sexual and street harassment and for anti-violence campaigning. She also combines activist work with her hobby – modeling (photo shoots, fashion shows) – and wants to disperse the myths and stereotypes about the modeling business and models.

Aikanysh Jeenbaeva graduated from the University of Freiburg with a degree in European Literatures and Cultures and recently from the Diplomatic Academy of the KR with a degree in International Relations. Aikanysh is a co-founding member and coordinator of the Bishkek Feminist Collective SQ. Her primary areas of work and interests include advocacy and mobilization, anti-violence work, feminist economics, sexual and street harassment, gender and urban spaces, development, feminist geography.

Like many other women, Salidat and Aikanysh know about the multiple forms of harassment firsthand, as they experience it every day – at the university, on the streets, in public places, at public events, etc. Their goal in writing for SSH is to make more people aware of the rampant harassment in the region, challenge the perception of sexual and other forms of harassment as the norm and a compliment and to encourage people to fight and resist it.

Bishkek Feminist Collective SQ was founded in 2012 by activists from various communities of Bishkek city. Our mission is to promote feminist values of solidarity, justice, non-violence and resistance to all forms of oppression (sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, ableism, nationalism, xenophobia, islamophobia, classism and neoliberalism, etc.) among the citizens of Bishkek and, in future, across the entire country. Follow BFC SQ on Twitter, @bish_feminists and on Facebook.

Gcobani Qambela, South Africa

Gcobani is completing his Masters in Medical Anthropology through Rhodes University, Grahamstown South Africa. His research centres around issues of risk, responsibility and vulnerability amongst Xhosa men (and women) in a rural town in South Africa living in the context of HIV/AIDS. He is interested in issues of gender, masculinities and sexual and reproductive health. He contributes regularly to the One Young World Thought Leader page with the Mail & Guardian and the Bokamoso Leadership Forum. In his spare time, Gcobani enjoys reading, writing and spending time with his nephews. He dreams of living in a world where people are free to be their full selves, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation and sex. This is why he dedicates significant time to raising awareness and consciousness around race, homophobia, gender inequality and now street-harassment. Follow him on Twitter, @GcobaniQambela.

Angela Della Porta, Maine, USA

Angela Della Porta is a recent college graduate from Clark University in Worcester, MA committed to making change. She will soon be going to Detroit to teach with Teach for America. Until then, she’s spending her time in rural Maine analyzing the misconceptions about who really perpetrates street harassment (and enjoying the amazing weather). Her work with women’s organization and nonprofit efforts is varied, including working at her local YWCA with public policy and acting as a campus organizer for the national 1 in 3 Campaign to expand women’s access to safe abortion. She also co-founded and contributed to Hollaback! Boston, an organization fighting street harassment in Boston metro area. Follow her on Twitter: @angelassoapbox.

Maggie Freeleng, New York, USA

Maggie is a Brooklyn based freelance writer and photographer focusing on social justice and women’s issues. She currently writes for Vitamin W, a women-owned women’s media platform. Maggie graduated with a B.A in Journalism and English from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2011 concentrating on dystopian literature. Growing up in New York, but moving to rural Northampton, Mass. she owned chickens and embraced farm life, contributing to the Greenfield Recorder’s “Going Green” and “Outdoor Adventure” issues. Before becoming an editorial assistant and correspondent at Women’s eNews, where she cultivated her feminist identity, Maggie traveled the Alps writing for GoNOMAD.com and later interned for the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. Her work is also featured in the Boston Globe Online and Glamour’s “Inspired” blog. She rules her life by the unofficial Northampton town motto, “Strong coffee, stronger women.” You can read more of her writing on her blog or follow her on Twitter, @dixiy89.

Nikoletta Gjoni, Maryland, USA

Nikoletta Gjoni graduated from UMBC in 2009 with a B.A. in English Literature. A native of Albania, she returned in the summer of 2008 to research the effects of communist censorship on Albania’s literature that included an interview with Nobel Prize nominated author, Ismail Kadare. After graduation, she did almost four years of freelance work in a D.C. broadcast station, in addition to having worked as a literacy and linguistics assessor for pre-k classrooms in D.C.’s charter schools. She is an avid reader and writer and loves to spend late afternoons either curled up with a good book on the Tudors, or working on a new creative piece for her blog. To get to know her better, she can be tracked on both her creative blog and Twitter, @nikigjoni.

Delia Harrington, Massachusetts, USA

Delia Harrington is a recent graduate of Northeastern University and calls Boston home. She studied International Affairs, focusing on Social Enterprise, the Middle East and Latin America. A frequent traveler and enthusiastic photographer, much of her activism and writing focuses on the intersection of social justice, culture, politics, poverty, human rights, and feminism. In recent years, she has found herself studying, working, and volunteering in Egypt, Cuba, France, Benin, the Dominican Republic, Turkey, Germany, and Greece. She has worked in study abroad, micro-finance, and non-profits, and is always on the lookout for more effective ways to make the world a better place. She loves learning languages, re-watching The West Wing, and spending time in politically tumultuous countries. You can read more of her writing on her blog, or follow her on Facebook and Twitter, @deliamary.

Taylor Kuether, Wisconsin, USA

Taylor Kuether is a senior journalism student at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in northwestern Wisconsin. A Milwaukee, Wis., native, she grew up appreciating summers on Lake Michigan, the Packers, and a good beer. She has previously written for The Washington Post and Minneapolis’ Star Tribune, worked as a reporter at her city’s daily newspaper,The Leader-Telegram, and its arts and culture publication, VolumeOne, hosted a local-music centered radio show on Wisconsin Public Radio, and worked as Editor-in-Chief at her student newspaper, where she enjoyed writing biting, slightly rant-y columns about feminist issues. She is thrilled now to write for Stop Street Harassment, a cause she is particularly incensed about. When she’s not writing, she’s probably talking about how much she loves cats, hanging out in a coffee shop, or attending a local music show.

Lauren McEwen, Washington, D.C., USA

Lauren is a recent graduate of Howard University where she majored in print journalism with a minor in photography. Originally from the Atlanta metropolitan area, Lauren began dealing with street harassment at a very young age, and over the years, became passionate about fighting against it. She has written for The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, Ebony.com, Washington City Paper, Global Grind, The Apposite and Hearts Converse. She currently lives and works in Washington, D.C. You can check out more of her work at laurenmcewen.weebly.com and follow her on Twitter at @angrywritergirl.

Britnae Purdy, Virginia, USA

Britnae is a graduate student at George Mason University, where she is pursuing a Master of Arts in Global Affairs with a specialization in Security and Conflict Studies. Britnae is a recent graduate of the University of Mary Washington, where she double-majored in International Affairs and Women’s and Gender Studies and combined her passion for feminism, literature, and world cultures by completing an undergraduate thesis on gendered power roles in 20^th century Chinese short fiction. Having traveled and lived all over the United States and abroad, Britnae has a love for traveling that is second only to her love of ice cream. Britnae also writes for First Peoples Worldwide, an indigenous rights advocacy group based in Fredericksburg, Va., and you can read more of her writing on their blog.

Molly Redding, California, USA

Molly received a graduate degree in International Development and Gender from the London School of Economics in 2011, where her dissertation focused on websites allowing victims of harassment to post about their experiences. She has worked in the non-profit sector for over 10 years in various capacities and in her most recent incarnation is a consultant. In her “free” time she is a voracious reader, cyclist and lover of all things San Francisco. You can follow her on Twitter, @perfeminist.

Sara Schwartzkopf, Colorado, USA

Sara is a recent graduate of the University of Denver where she majored in Sociology, International Studies, and minored in Japanese. Since graduation she has remained committed to having (sometimes) tough conversations on issues of race, gender, poverty and politics. She has previously written on issues relevant to the Native American community at Le Prestige Du Monde, pulling heavily on her experiences as a mixed-race Kiowa and Chickasaw. A Colorado native, she has a finely developed appreciation for the outdoors and microbrews, in addition to enjoying healthy doses of coffee, books, and trashy TV.

Meet the January – June 2013 Correspondents

Terris Schneider, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Terris graduated from UBC in 2011 with a degree in English Literature. She has worked as a freelance writer for the past five years in multiple fields such as copywriting and journalism, both in print and online. Her short stories have been published in literary magazines, and she had a monthly column in Discorder Magazine. She has written for companies and publications such as Metro News Vancouver, the Snipe News, Sizzle Teen Records, Global Bend, and many more. During her free time, Terris likes to show off her trivia nerd skills and go head to head against her dad in a feisty game of Jeopardy. She also enjoys film, books, graphic design, yoga, alternative comedy, and music of the indie rock persuasion. You can read more of her writing on her blog, or follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Adriana Pérez-Rodríguez, Colombia

Adriana is a Colombian national who recently moved to Bogotá after completing her university undergrad studies at the University of Reading, England, where she studied Politics & International Relations. She’s been interested in feminist studies for quite a long while, to the point it has become her passion and she wants to contribute by any means possible to the struggle. She’s published an article in a British feminist magazine on abortion and the free construction of our sexuality and she’ll soon have an essay published by the School of Gender Studies, from a renowned Colombian university. She is preparing to begin her masters course work at that same university on Gender Studies and she’s very much looking forward to it.

Mi nombre es Adriana Pérez-Rodríguez, soy colombiana y recientemente me mudé a Bogotá después de haber cursado mis estudios de pregrado en la Universidad de Reading, Inglaterra, donde estudié un BA en Política & Relaciones Internacionales. He estado muy interesada en los estudios feministas por un buen tiempo, hasta el punto en que se han convertido en mi pasión y mi meta es lograr contribuir de cualquier manera a la lucha. Como experiencia, he publicado un artículo en una revista feminista británica sobre el aborto y la libre construcción de nuestras sexualidades y también he sido informada, por parte de la Escuela de Estudios de Género de una de las mejores universidades de Colombia, que un ensayo de mi autoría en género y educación superior va ser publicado prontamente. Adicionalmente, estoy a punto de empezar mi maestría en Estudios de Género en la misma universidad, por lo que estoy muy emocionada.

María Paulina López Cataño, Colombia

María is a 21-year-old Colombian woman who is tired of being harassed and tired of watching her friends and sisters being harassed every day. In her studies of psychology she’s writing a thesis about sexual violence. She also has an interest in sexual education, and writes about it on her blog http://sexedcolombia.tumblr.com/ Follow her on twitter.

ver a mis amigas y hermanas ser acosadas en las calles todos los días. En mis estudios de psicología he estado trabajando en mi tesis sobre violencia sexual. También me interesa la educación sexual, aquí está mi blog http://sexedcolombia.tumblr.com/ TT @MPaulinaLopez

Members of ProChange, Germany

We are a group of women from Dortmund and Dortmund who from several years to decades are activists for women’s rights. We were and are in agreement: women and girls need to get out of the victim role and defend themselves, be it against harassment on the street (and intrusive gaze response, whistles) and against violent and / or sexual assault. Globally, society is changing. Women of all countries fight for justice.

Wir sind eine Gruppe von Frauen aus Dortmund und dem Umkreis von Dortmund seit einigen Jahren bis zu Jahrzehnten aktiv und ehrenamtlich für Frauenrechte tätig. Wir waren und sind uns einig: Frauen und Mädchen müssen raus aus der Opferrolle und sich wehren, sei es gegen Belästigung auf der Straße (aufdringliches Anstarren und Ansprechen, Hinterherpfeifen) und gegen gewalttätige und/oder sexuelle Übergriffe. Weltweit ist die Gesellschaft im Wandel. Frauen aller Länder kämpfen für Gerechtigkeit. Diesen Wandel wollen wir beschleunigen. Wenn wir uns vordergründig für Mädchen und Frauen einsetzen, hat das mit unserer Biografie zu tun. Wichtig ist, dass wir natürlich auch weder Diskriminierung, Übergriffe und Gewalt gegen LGBTQs akzeptieren noch aus rassistischen oder sonstigen Gründen.

Saniya Mujahid Ali, Pakistan

Saniya is an undergraduate student majoring in Sociology and Anthropology. Her experience includes working in a World Bank funded NGO where she travelled to numerous remote locations in Pakistan carrying out qualitative research on poverty alleviation and its effect on women’s empowerment, and presenting its analysis to the CEO and department directors of the NGO. She was also a freelancer in one of the largest read English newspapers in Pakistan. She is passionate about issues concerning equality between the sexes, sexual harassment and the status of women in Islam, among others. You can follow her on her blog or on Facebook.

Natasha Vianna, Boston, MA, USA

Natasha, a fearless activist and young feminist, is a freelance writer and blogger based out of Boston, MA. She focuses much of her work on community health, racial equity, and teen pregnancy. A former contributor for a fashion site in the UK, this millennial took to writing about women’s rights with her most recent work featured in Latinitas Magazine, The Pushback, Advocates for Youth, Feministing, and RH Reality Check. Through blogging and public speaking, she has been fighting to change the perception of young parenthood, improve sexual education, and bring awareness to gender inequities. Natasha has also been a guest on shows such as the Huffington Post Live and Parenting in Action. Get in touch with Natasha by following her on twitter!

Lauren Duhon, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

Lauren is a student from Houston, Texas, studying communications and journalism at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La. After studying abroad and traveling, her eyes have been opened to many issues women face, including harassment. She hopes to be a voice for women, especially female students. Follow her on Twitter. When she’s not tweeting about human rights and gender inequality, she tweets about food and her obsession with Pembroke Welsh Corgis.

Allison Riley, Denver, CO, USA

Allison is a 2012 graduate of Metropolitan State University of Denver where she majored in journalism with a minor in women’s studies. She wrote her senior thesis on the importance of viewing street harassment as a social and legal problem. Her ultimate career goal is to work for a women’s magazine, but along the way she aims to raise consciousness of gender violence issues, starting with her city of birth, Denver. In her free time Allison enjoys working out, reading, exploring, and spending time with friends. Follow Allison on twitter.

Talia Weisberg, New York City, NY, USA

Talia is a Harvard-bound feminist hoping to concentrate in Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality. Her work has appeared in over 40 publications, including the Jewish Week, Ms. Magazine Blog, Jerusalem Post, Girl w/ Pen!, Jewish Press, and FBomb. She created and maintains the Star of Davida blog. When she manages to find spare time, she enjoys fuzzying with her rescue dog, eating (a lot), messing around in Photoshop, and procrastinating on the Internet.

Erin McKelle Fischer, Ohio, USA

Erin is a social justice activist, blogger, student, and avid reader. She is studying sociology and creative writing and working as an advocate for non-profits. She can be found blogging at Fearless Feminism, The Whole Living, and writing poetry at The Meaning of Luv. Most nights, she can be found in bed with a cup of coffee, a pile of books, and her laptop.

Carla C. Avenia, USA (Over the next 6 months she will reside in: Texas, USA; Argentina; and France)

Carla is a proud feminist originally from Texas, who strongly believes in creating safer spaces for women. She holds a Master’s in Local Development, and she runs her own translation company from France. She is also a travel blogger. You can find her on Twitter.

Carla es una feminista Tejana, dedicada a la causa de crear espacios seguros para las mujeres. Obtuvo su Máster en Desarrollo Local, y es la dueña de su propia compañía de traducción basada en Francia. También relata sus aventuras internacionales en su blog de viajes. Síguela en Twitter.

Sean Crosbie, Washington, DC, USA

Sean Crosbie is a library/research assistant at a labor union in Washington, D.C. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in economics from American University. Previous articles that he has written for Stop Street Harassment include bell hooks: The Importance of Male Allies and Guyland and the Culture of Street Harassment. Sean is interested in issues of social equality and justice and is a proud feminist and male ally. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife. Follow Sean on Twitter.

Claire Biggs, Louisiana, USA

Claire Biggs graduated from LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication in 2011 then jetted off to New York City for work. She spent two years working in the world of celebrity PR, social media, and fashion. Claire has since packed her bags and spends her days writing for MTV Act, where fist-pumping and lending a hand collide. She spends her (very late) nights writing, tweeting about women’s rights and encouraging everyone she’s ever met to join Twitter (because it’s where the magic happens). You can find this die-hard feminist on Twitter.

Recap of recent street harassment news – late June edition

June 26, 2013 By HKearl

Other project have kept me from blogging about the street harassment-related news that’s come through in the past week or so, so here’s a short recap —

* How to approach women: On the website, “Yo, I’m just saying” men can learn when it’s okay to physically stop a woman on the street (e.g. they’re lost and need directions or someone needs medical attention) and when it’s not.

* Street harassment and male entitlement: She Does the City wrote, “Walking the Streets: Space, Masculinity and Street Harassment“: “Many males roam the streets at any time of day or night feeling a sense of entitlement to that space and the bodies within it. If a woman were to act in this same way, she’d be “setting herself up for harassment,” because her body, as female, is not entitled to such space or such ownership – and to make it appear as entitled (or appear at all) is to expect backlash. The same goes for “readably” queer folks, who would meet a similar fate of harassment and perhaps even assault. Queer folks are highly invisibilized in public space, save for certain areas of the city where they have both created their own community and have been siphoned off by a culture of heteronormativity.”

* Street harassment as hate speech: Michael, a male ally in Toronto wrote the article, “Sexual harassment on the street: Taking misogynist hate speech seriously.” A key point he makes is that street harassment/sexist speech IS hate speech. “More than ever it is time for men to stand up and say that these narratives are wrong and that they show a total disregard for women’s dignity. That this ongoing vocal misogyny is unacceptable. That this disgraceful and daily objectification of women is what it is…an insult to and violation of the basic rights of women. Public, vocal, sexual degradation of women and girls is a form of hate speech. And it needs to be opposed as such.”

* Stopping harassment in Egypt: USA Today reports on the high rates of street harassment in Eygpt (a new study found 99% of women have faced it) and on the groups working to change that reality. “It’s all about culture and misconceptions,” said Dina Samir, communications manager at HarassMap, who says harassment has worsened over the last decade. “If the culture changes it would put pressure on the government to enforce laws.” “We believe we can play a big role in changing perceptions,” she said. Men are also getting involved because “it’s not just a women’s issue,” said Ayman Nagy, who founded the Anti-Harassment Movement. “It’s a humanity issue.” Nagy and a group of 73 full-time volunteers hold workshops in universities and even in the streets among other places to talk about issues that include sexual abuse. “We need to solve the problem from its roots,” Nagy said. “We’re going to work on the harasser himself, because we think he is a sick person and needs help, and that we can help him.” Other groups such as Operation Anti-Sexual Harassment seek to end mob harassment and assault, and Tahrir Bodyguard has a team of volunteers in bright green vests who intervene when they see sexual violence taking place during protests.”

* Fighting sexual abuse in India: In Lucknow, India, The Telegraph reports, a 25-year-old woman teaches more than 100 teenage girls in mixed martial arts. They are dubbed the “Red Brigade” and aim to humiliate and beat men who abuse women. Most of the recruits are survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and attempted rapes who have “joined her the group in frustration at the failure of Indian political leaders and the police to curb sexual violence.”

*Teaching respect: Radical Step Mom writes about street harassment and other forms of sexual abuse and concludes: “Let’s talk to all our kids, in whatever way we are able (even if that means asking your partner to talk to their kids), about respect for each other’s bodies, boundaries, and peace of mind. Rather than being crippled by our experiences, let’s use them to inform our influence on the kids growing up under our roofs. With love and persistence on our parts, maybe our boys and girls will choose to shape a world in which this idea isn’t radical at all, because it’s standard.”

* Even “mild” street harassment is unacceptable: Veronica writes about her tolerance for “mild” street harassment after experiencing worse and why that isn’t okay for SCUM, a literary magazine. “At what point had men screaming obscenities at me become so routine that being shouted out twice was a “pretty good” night? When had I developed this arbitrary threshold for abuse from strangers that could change a walk home from pleasant or pretty good to pretty goddamn shit?

*Leave her alone! The blog PFPT put together a street harassment quiz for men. Hint: most answers are “leave her alone” or “she wants you to leave her alone.”

* Illustrated responses to street harassment: Brittany published great (illustrated) responses to street harassment for the Portland Mercury. She writes, “What men need is a wake-up call: You’re the problem. If not you personally, then your best friend, a coworker, or that dude in your fantasy football league is. You’re making us feel unsafe every day, in a thousand different ways. To help you better identify your harassing behavior, we’ve illustrated the most common types of misogynists—along with the comebacks from us you might not get, given the trap-door spideriness of your attacks, but which you certainly deserve.”

* Men experience street harassment too: Jay wrote about his street harassment experiences for the Portland Mercury too, ending with: “It would be easy to get into a tit for tat argument over quantity but that’s not the point and big doy. Women are at the receiving end more than men and the power dynamic is different. My point is it’s never pleasant to be singled out and have your body be thrown on the table to dissect and discuss. I’m proud of how I look and feel confident when I walk down the street. But men/women, it’s never an invitation to get your creep on. There are rules. There is etiquette. Stop being weird jerks. Try some charm. And don’t try to reach into my pants. Again.”

* Increase in street harassment in Lebanon: The Daily Star reports on the increase in street harassment/sexual violence complaints and what is being done: “Both verbal and physical harassment are punishable under the law, NGOs say that the legal system is ill-equipped to successfully prosecute offenders, one of several reasons why many victims do not report their experiences of harassment to the police. Aware that incidents were frequently going unreported, feminist collective Nasawiya last year launched a hotline for victims of assault and harassment to share their experiences and receive advice and support.”

* Dealing with street harassment: Feminist leader and author Jessica Valenti’s first #AskJessica video for The Nation focuses on how to respond to street harassers.

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