bicycles Archives | Stop Street Harassment

The new episode of Bustle’s documentary series NSFWomen (Not Safe For Women) focuses on how street harassment affects female bike messengers. Bustle’s Senior Publicist, Corporate Communications, Caitlin Eadie, shared this:

“Only 24% of all bicycle trips in the U.S. are made by women. 65% of women have reported being targeted by street harassment and 23% of women have experienced ‘sexual touching’ as a form of street harassment. To explore this issue, Bustle met with several female cyclists in Philadelphia who struggle with the fears and risks that go along with doing the job they love. One woman details a cycling incident when a male car passenger leaned out the window and grabbed her. Another discusses losing out on money because she fears for her safety when taking trips further away or past dark.

As the video’s intro states, ‘The purpose of street harassment is to remind women that they do not own the spaces that they’re inhabiting.’ A horrifying reality made even worse when Bustle reached out to 12 major U.S. city police departments and seven confirmed that they do not keep specific records of violence against female cyclists. The other five did not respond for comment.

NSFWomen tackles critical issues surrounding gender inequality, addressing the more nuanced, and sometimes undiscussed, struggles that women face on a daily basis.”

Check out the third episode of NSFWomen (Not Safe for Women).

In Egypt, there is a new campaign called, “We Will Ride Bicycles,” intended to confront street harassment. Today was their first event and women and their male allies rode bicycles around Cairo!

Via allAfrica.com:

“Riding a bicycle and feeling the breeze of the air is one of our simplest dreams,” said the campaign’s event page, adding that all women should be allowed to freely ride bicycles without being harassed or judged.

The activists behind the campaign said they chose the theme of riding bicycles to promote women and girl’s rights to run errands through cycling without being afraid of attracting negative reaction in the streets.

Scheduled for Saturday, the event’s assembly point will be outside October War Panorama on Saleh Salem Street and its end point will be at Azhar Park.

“The campaign’s main objective is confronting the unjustified rejection of the community concerning females riding bicycles,” said Michael Nazeh, one of the founders of the campaign.”

What a great idea! If you’re in Washington, D.C., there will be a similar event next Saturday, Oct. 19, benefiting our friends Collective Action for Safe Spaces! Info/RSVP.

Female Bicycle Messengers Talk about Street Harassment

Cairo: We Will Ride Bicycles!