• About Us
    • What Is Street Harassment?
    • Why Stopping Street Harassment Matters
    • Meet the Team
      • Board of Directors
      • Past Board Members
    • In The Media
  • Our Work
    • National Street Harassment Hotline
    • International Anti-Street Harassment Week
    • Blog Correspondents
      • Past SSH Correspondents
    • Safe Public Spaces Mentoring Program
    • Publications
    • National Studies
    • Campaigns against Companies
    • Washington, D.C. Activism
  • Our Books
  • Donate
  • Store

Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Harassment Stories
    • Blog Correspondents
    • Street Respect Stories
  • Help & Advice
    • National Street Harassment Hotline
    • Dealing With Harassers
      • Assertive Responses
      • Reporting Harassers
      • Bystander Responses
      • Creative Responses
    • What to Do Before or After Harassment
    • Street Harassment and the Law
  • Resources
    • Definitions
    • Statistics
    • Articles & Books
    • Anti-Harassment Groups & Campaigns
    • Male Allies
      • Educating Boys & Men
      • How to Talk to Women
      • Bystander Tips
    • Video Clips
    • Images & Flyers
  • Take Community Action
  • Contact

Brazil: Feminist ‘bloco’ at the 2018 Rio Carnival

February 18, 2018 By Correspondent

Yasmin Curzi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, SSH Blog Correspondent

”Márcia Benevides. Presente.”[1]

It was with tears that the “Women who get around” feminist Carnival block began its procession on Ash Wednesday, in the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro. In September of last year, one of its members, Marcia, was cruelly murdered by her former partner, from whom she was getting separated. She had sought the workshops of the bloco – which take place throughout the year, in preparation for Carnival – precisely to deal with the separation process. From the workshops, she found the comfort and strength to go ahead.

In her honor, the first song of the Carnival procession was “Folhas Secas” by Nelson Cavaquinho, from “Estação Primeira de Mangueira” one of the first of Rio’s samba schools. “They killed one of us,” said Renata Rodrigues, one of the founders of the bloco. She was heartbroken that Márcia was supposed to be free and alive and parading this year, but now  she was dead due to misogynist violence.

Next, the band, comprised mainly of women, followed the procession, playing classic samba and popular music as Clementina de Jesus’ “Marinheiro Só”, “Ouvi alguém me chamar” by Dona Ivone Lara, “Ô abre alas” by Chiquinha Gonzaga and “Lenda das Sereias” by Marisa Monte, but also funk, making the audience shout while walking through the streets, “I don’t wait for the carnival to be a bitch, I am one everyday”, verses of Pablo Vittar’s “Todo dia” and “Hoje” by MC Ludmilla. The members of the bloco wielded banners of female canons of Brazilian music, but also of Nina Simone.

The “hula hoop dancers section” was the Commission of Front of the bloco. The women spinning and dancing with the hula hoops were followed by the “wooden leg section”: seven women and a girl of about 10 years old, wearing costumes and wooden legs. Finally, they were followed by the band and around them, hundreds of women, men and children, jumping, shouting and singing along.

Photo by: Ana Clara Jansen

The procession went from Largo do Machado to Aterro (about 1km), where there was an incredible performance set to the music of “Geni e o Zepelim” by Chico Buarque. The “wooden leg section” held posters denouncing feminicide and misogynist violence. One could read that Brazil ranks fifth in the world for the number of women murdered due to their gender (crimes motivated by gender hate, such as domestic violence and sexual violence) and that Black women are still the number one victims of gender violence in the country. There also were signs encouraging women to report harassment.

Photo by: Ana Clara Jansen

They then simulated a funeral and threw flowers over a woman’s body. While the band played “Throw rocks at Geni! / Throw shit at Geni! / She’s made to be beaten! / She’s good to spit on! / She will screw anyone! / Damn you, Geni!”, the audience shouted, “No!”

This was an example of how art can be utilized for feminist causes, in this case, to show that it is intolerable for women to be victims of violence only because they want to be free.

Another highlight to me were efforts by the “Mete a Colher”[2] organization, which, in partnership with the organization “Meu Recife” produced the report “Happened in Carnival.” This report focused on reports of violence suffered during the Carnival and highlighted the necessity of public policies to address the problem. Renata Albertim (co-founder of Mete a Colher) said that in the, “(…) Last year we collected 66 reports and presented them to the Women’s Secretariat of Recife and to the Women’s Secretariat of the State of Pernambuco. This year, the Secretary of State promised a more ostensible policing at the points we identified that the more the harassment happens.”

In Rio de Janeiro, the “Carnival without Harassment” campaign took over several blocos – promoted by Catraca Livre, in partnership with “Azmina” magazine and the collectives “Now it’s them”, “We Women of the Periphery” and “Let’s go together?”

The stickers were distributed free of charge during the processions and it was also possible to buy removable tattoos with “No is no!” to wear.

The denunciation of the coup was also remembered by the bloco, which sang the cries of “Fora Temer” and “Fora Crivella”.

“Women who get around” is more than just a fun bloco: it is the materialization of the counter-discourse in the streets and is absolutely necessary to change our culture.

Conservative parties define all these movements as part of a “gender ideology.” They think that to show the many ways that female subordination and male domination are normalized is to threaten a “natural order” of things. They use this phrase as a motto and turn it into a great scarecrow, capable of camouflaging their real intentions: economic programs of religious sectors, alliances with private capital and support for labor rights retrogressions. These conservative sectors do not want to debate gender roles and are generally extremely reactionary to social transformations. One group placed a figure simulating Judith Butler in a “bonfire”, in an “inquisitorial act,” calling her a witch – they wanted to crystallize the “place of women” around an ideal of femininity and subalternization. They don’t see toxic masculinity as the real cause of violence and instead, they blame victims for the attacks suffered.

Photo by: Ana Clara Jansen

In her book Caliban and the Witch, Silvia Federici discusses the transition from feudalism to capitalism from a gender perspective, pointing out that it was essential for capitalist accumulation to make women circumscribed to private spaces, with domestic work being unpaid, in addition to state control of reproductive functions. The myth of witchcraft was fundamental to legitimize the genocide of women and the control of bodies, solidifying this social structure. The reproductive autonomy of women was precisely the greatest of all crimes – not surprisingly, witches were generally represented by women who did not dedicate their lives to the domestic sphere and who broke with the ideals of the time in some way.

For today’s conservatives, as well as the inquisitors of the Middle Ages, it is an assault on the natural order of things that gender roles are put into question. Federici also shows that capitalism is responsible for producing these moments of intellectual retreat to maintain its hegemony. Certain segments of the political elite enact it to remain in power in times of profound economic crisis.

But we also know that a certain noise is being produced when we see the reactionary extremely uncomfortable. If the status quo were not being shook, there would be no need to organize so many obscure acts. There is, therefore, room for women to infiltrate cultural “gaps” and contest the hegemonic discourse – denouncing, questioning and talking about corporal autonomy, about violence, about their places in public institutions and in the market. Bringing these issues to the streets makes Carnival a way for feminists to raise awareness and agitate for change!

Although during this Carnival there were some of the same problems as always – there were a lot of cases of sexual harassment, abuse and violence – overall, Carnival 2018 was marked by political acts, anti-harassment campaigns and demonstrations of sorority.

[1]         “Presente” is what people say in protests to remember people who were victims of violence and public personalities that are important for the cause.

[2]         In Brazil there’s a popular quote that says, “Em briga de marido e mulher  não se mete a colher.” It means, “When husband and wife fights, one does not interfere.” The campaign “mete a colher” puts in evidence the necessity to look to domestic violence as a social issue.

Yasmin is a Research Assistant at the Center for Research on Law and Economics at FGV-Rio. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences from PUC-Rio where she wrote her thesis on street harassment and feminists’ struggles for recognition. 

Share

Filed Under: correspondents Tagged With: art, brazil, Carnival, feminist acts, resistance

New Research, Campaign & Photo Project

July 23, 2017 By HKearl

Research conducted by experts at the University of Melbourne in Australia demonstrates how common sexual harassment is in the lives of women and documents the possible impact this can have on how women think about themselves. The full results were published in the British Journal of Social Psychology.

Two key findings are:

1. Women reported being the target of a sexually objectifying event once every two days.

2. Both being personally targeted or witnessing others being objectified was associated with a “substantial increase” in “self-objectification”, proving that instances of sexual harassment can have a negative impact on the way women think about themselves.

____________________

In the Netherlands, Stop Straatintimidatie launched a new campaign against street harassment. Campaign founder Gaya Branderhorst shared, “The message to the public is clear: everyone should be able to walk the streets without harassment,” and “street harassment will be fined in Amsterdam and Rotterdam from 2018 onwards, and other cities are planning to follow soon.” Great!

____________________

In the UK, photojournalist Eliza Hatch created a new photo series called Cheer Up Luv to raise awareness about street harassment. An article for the Guardian states, “Hatch found her female friends had all experienced harassment regularly, while her male friends were shocked by how frequently it occurred. Her photographs often feature women in environments in which they have been harassed, alongside their accounts. ‘I really wanted to capture the woman in her surroundings,’ says Hatch. ‘Instead of it being somewhere where she felt vulnerable, I wanted to make it a stage for her to speak out from. And I wanted you to actually look into her eyes as you’re hearing her story.'”

See more at: instagram.com/cheerupluv

 

Share

Filed Under: Activist Interviews, Resources, Stories, street harassment Tagged With: Amsterdam, art, Australia, campaign, netherlands, photography, research, UK

South Africa: SA’s Dirty Laundry

November 11, 2016 By Correspondent

Nyasha Joyce Mukuwane, Johannesburg, South Africa, SSH Blog Correspondent

sadirtylaundryWith the onset of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence on Nov. 25, some activists are using visual creativity to bring home the facts of rape culture in South Africa.

Rape is a widespread problem. According to a 2013 Medical Research Council (MRC) survey, up to 3,600 people could be raped in the country every day. The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) claims that only one in 13 rape cases are reported to police.  Fewer than 30 cases go through for prosecution and trial  of which only 10 result in a conviction.

Jenny Nijenhuis and Nondumiso Lwazi Msimanga are collaborating in a creative installation of artivism in order to create awareness around rape in South Africa. They are collecting 3,600 pieces of underwear to hang a washing line approximately 1.2 kilometres long displaying the underwear during the 16 Days of Activism.

The preferred route for hanging the installation is from Arts On Main on Berea Road, right into Fox Street and left into Albrecht Street to SoMa´s entrance. This route from Arts On Main to SoMa covers 400m in distance. The goal is to run the washing line down both sides of each of the streets involved, thereby covering a distance of 800m. The balance of the line and installation will continue to the gallery entrance and up into the upstairs gallery area.

Speaking about the installation, Nijenhuis says,

“We wish to curate/choreograph an activation/disruption of the space in and around the gallery for 10 of the 16 Days of Activism whilst the installation is up. The space will thus be used as a point of reflection through works dealing in this subject matter. Nondumiso Msimanga will be working on a performance art piece titled ‘On the Line.’ The performance will display a female at the different developmental stages and rites of passage of becoming a woman, in a cyclical narrative of rituals. We have also posted an open call inviting contributions towards the project from the broadest spectrum of disciplines including (but not limited to) the visual arts, performances (maximum length 15 minutes), interventions, music, dance, talks, poetry, video (maximum length 15 minutes) and theatre.

The point being for artists to show how art, when used for the purpose of socio-political activism, has the power and ability to shift the status quo. Activism aims to promote, impede, or direct social, political, economic, or environmental change – to make societal improvements and to correct social injustice. Through this call, we’re inviting artists to truly observe, reflect and comment on what the rape crisis in SA looks like. We hope to bring this message to people on the street, and not just to the audiences that frequent galleries.”

Installation Dates: 25 November to 4 December 2016
Location: SoMa Art + Space – Streets of the Maboneng Precinct in Johannesburg

In order to successfully produce the installation the artists need to collect 3600 panties. Since the project is not for profit, a donations Facebook page has been set up. The panties drive asks anyone prepared to support the project to donate their old and unwanted panties or underpants. These are being collected at various collection points across the country. Donate. | More information on this project.

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. She has edited two books by survivors that are available to download for free from the website www.nisaa.org.za.

Share

Filed Under: 16 days, correspondents, street harassment Tagged With: 16 days of activism, art, rape, south africa, underwear

Jordan: Article 308 and the Human Cost of Honour

June 17, 2016 By Correspondent

Minying Huang, Amman, Jordan, SSH Blog Correspondent

TW: Rape, sexual violence, honour killings

Article 308 - Rand Abdul Nour
Article 308 – By artist Rand Abdul Nour

Barely discernible beneath heavily patterned fabrics – those used at weddings, funerals, and parliamentary elections – are the faint figures of women who have been raped. Silent and caged in tradition, the obscured female presence is at once a sign of oppression and a mark of resilience as she fights to retain her identity, refusing to disappear.

Earlier this year, I attended Rand Abdul Nour’s first solo art exhibition at Artisana & Gallery 14 in Amman, the capital of Jordan. ‘Woman II: Adorned with Jasmin’ offered a powerful visual commentary on how pervasive concepts of ‘honour’ hurt communities of women in Jordanian society. In her work, the artist condemns a brutal and rigid honour code enshrined in – and thus championed by – law: her paintings, beautifully rendered in oil on canvas, are a direct criticism of Article 308 of the Jordanian Penal Code which controversially allows rapists to go unpunished if they marry their victim and stay with them for a minimum of five years.

Lacking social support and legal protection, victims of rape and other forms of sexual abuse are left vulnerable and isolated. The dangers they face are twofold: honour killings* carried out by other family members are a widespread phenomenon in Jordan due to the severe social stigma surrounding sexual activity out of wedlock, the culture of victim blaming, and the way in which the identities and behaviours of a man’s female relatives have come to be bound up in both his own sense of male worth and societal conceptions of masculinity and morality; meanwhile, the legal structures in place at the moment – including those relating to abortion and parental lineage – not only endorse marriage to one’s attacker as a means of preserving the reputation of the victim and their family, but can also be said to strip victims of any real choice. Women’s rights activists in the country say that the majority of rape cases that do not result in pregnancy go unreported because revealing the truth is considered too great a risk; there is too much to lose and little certainty of a fair outcome. It has been estimated that 95% of rapists face no punishment for their crimes.

Four years ago, hundreds of Jordanians gathered together to form a human chain in the streets of Amman demanding basic rights for women, protesting against Article 308 in addition to the prevalence of honour crimes, harassment, and nationality discrimination in society. Last year, the Sisterhood Is Global Institute/Jordan (SIGI/J) launched a campaign, along with a civil coalition, with the aim of eliminating Article 308 and securing better psychological and legal provisions for those affected by sexual violence. The results of a study they conducted on local attitudes to rape and impunity showed that in reality many Jordanians are against Article 308 and believe that rapists should be punished regardless of whether or not they intend to marry their victims. After these findings were presented, the Legislation and Opinion Bureau in Amman finally began to review the article and consider SIGI’s proposals.

In April this year, it was announced that the Cabinet was in favour of cancelling the clause in Article 308 that permits perpetrators of sexual assault to walk free if they marry their victims and that the draft laws were being forwarded to Parliament for review. This important move towards achieving justice and equality comes after years of lobbying and campaigning on the part of various civil community organisations, legal experts, journalists, and activists. Progress is being made, thanks to the persevering spirit of communities of women fighting to reclaim control of their own bodies.

However, whilst change looks to be on the horizon, there is still much cause for concern. Today, in spite of the recent amendments, people continue to campaign for the complete cancellation of the article. As it stands, the article maintains that in cases of consensual sex with female minors aged 15 to 18 men may escape conviction through marriage. But it is especially difficult to differentiate between forced and consensual sex when the victim is underage. Furthermore, this remaining clause dangerously puts young girls under vast amounts of pressure to accept marriage as a resolution so as to avoid bringing dishonour and social disgrace upon themselves and their families.

Lubna Dawany, president at SIGI Jordan, has received heart-breaking letters from young girls coerced into – and now trapped in – these marriages: they detail the trauma they have sustained and their prolonged suffering at the hands of their rapists and their families; they urge other girls to resist, to never to agree to marriage under similar terms. She comments, “The new proposed change in law, which suggests that the clause be deleted but kept in place for girls under 18 years old, is unacceptable. How can it be allowed that perpetrators of sexual violence marry their teenage victims who are not treated as adults in any other aspects of their lives? On the contrary, I think that this is the age where we should support them and not leave them to such a vague future. Girls this age are still children and under no circumstances should we let them get married even to decent men, let alone their abusers.”

There is no honour in pardoning a rapist, nor is there any honour in sentencing a young girl – or a grown woman – to live in the same house as the man who abused her, to be wed to a man who would do her harm, and to be subject to his will. SIGI’s survey is a testament to the fact that traditional surface attitudes do not reflect the shifting realities within Jordanian society. We should celebrate the strength and resilience of the individuals and communities petitioning for systematic reform, unafraid to make their voices heard. Artists and activists alike are committed to redefining social values in the face of adversity and raising awareness of the issues at hand. An important and much-needed conversation on female agency in a patriarchal society has been started; hopefully increasing numbers of people will join the discussion, push for change, and help put an end to the numerous human rights violations carried out against women in the name of ‘honour’.

Here in Jordan, women are breaking the silence and painting themselves back into the narrative.

*For more information, read Rana Husseini’s book Murder in the Name of Honour.

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. You can follow her on Twitter @minyingh.

Share

Filed Under: correspondents Tagged With: art, honor killing, jordan

Let Us Walk! Stickers Against Street Harassment

May 25, 2016 By HKearl

 This is an excerpt from the Art of Growing Leaders 2015-16 Highlights, shared with their permission:

“The Art of Growing Leaders [in Philadelphia, PA] introduces young people ages 10-14 to multi-cultural rites of passage traditions, and provides them with creative leadership skills to help them discover their strengths and bring them to their communities. In the culminating project, students embarked on one specific creative social action project to improve their school/community.

Young women from Camp Sojourner, Girls’ Leadership Camp participated in  ArtWell’s The Art of Growing Leaders and created this public guerilla art project to speak out against street harassment. Students designed stickers and gave them out and spoke with hundreds of people on April 30 at the Sojourner Truth Walk in West Philly, sparking important conversations. One parent told us this topic was not appropriate for her child, as she was too young and had not experienced harassment, only to be corrected by her daughter who told her mother that she was no stranger to being harassed. This led to a dialog and new awareness between this mother and her daughter. We are proud of these young women in creating such a powerful,
straightforward, and important project.
“

Camp Sojourner Final Social Action Project - May 2016

 

Share

Filed Under: Activist Interviews, street harassment Tagged With: art, philadelphia, stickers, youth

Next Page »

Share Your Story

Share your street harassment story for the blog. Donate Now

From the Blog

  • #MeToo 2024 Study Released Today
  • Join International Anti-Street Harassment Week 2022
  • Giving Tuesday – Fund the Hotline
  • Thank You – International Anti-Street Harassment Week 2021
  • Share Your Story – Safecity and Catcalls Collaboration

Buy the Book

  • Contact
  • Events
  • Join Us
  • Donate
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2025 Stop Street Harassment · Website Design by Sarah Marie Lacy