Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

43 percent of young women experienced street harassment in London last year

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In a recent poll conducted by the Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) Coalition in London, 43 percent of young women ages 18-34 had experienced street harassment just during the past year. The total sample size was 1047 adults and the poll was conducted in early March 2012.

In a press release, EVAW Coalition Co-Chair Professor Liz Kelly said:

“Our survey shows that sexual harassment in London is extremely common. Some survey respondents also said that this behaviour makes them feel uncomfortable and unsafe and makes them change their behaviour and decisions about when and where to travel.

“Despite this high prevalence and impact however, public sexual harassment is a form of abuse which generally goes unchallenged, creating an unsafe and unequal environment for women.

“We need investment in public campaigns on transport and elsewhere saying this behaviour is unacceptable, and training for transport staff about how to respond to it.”

Some of the comments made by survey respondents were:

“I feel safer on public transport than I do walking around, but I have still experienced several nasty incidents of sexual harassment on the tube where I have been forced to change carriage or leave the train a stop early to avoid harassment from men.”

“Feel unsafe at night if I am alone and travelling home. I often move carriages on the tube to feel safer or change buses.”

“Have had some issues when travelling on the top deck of a bus, especially at night, so don’t feel safe up there. Safer to sit nearer the driver.”

The EVAW Coalition has written to Transport for London with the survey findings and setting out its recommendations which are that there should be a public awareness campaign indicating that sexual harassment can be a crime and is not acceptable.

EVAW is also calling for training for police and transport staff in dealing with sexual harassment when it is reported. It is hoped that a combination of measures such as these will contribute to a longer term culture change where this behaviour becomes less socially acceptable and where bystanders for example are more likely to intervene when it occurs (some survey respondents reported incidents of sexual harassment and assault where onlookers did nothing).”

I hope that government officials in London will take action to address the widespread problem of gender-based street harassment now that there is data proving that this is a major problem, especially for young women. Everyone deserves to be in public places without experiencing or fearing harassment. Especially with the Summer Olympics taking place in London this year, it is important that everyone is safe and feels comfortable navigating the city.

Good job, EVAW for conducting the survey and bringing attention to this issue!

UPDATE: Here is a sampling of news stories about this poll: Guardian 1 | 2; The Independent; The F Word Blog; Huffington Post

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“What if he touches me?”

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Just for a change to my normal workwear (and, in part, because my favourite work trousers are in the wash), I left this house this morning wearing a dress. Nothing outrageous, just a red and black print jersey long-sleeved shift dress that comes to just above the knee, with thick black tights and burgundy mary janes.

First step out of my door and someone leers at me. I ignore it – they’re only looking. At least they didn’t whistle or make that horrible kissy noise.

I get to the crossing at the end of the street. A man comes to stand beside me, and falls into step as I cross the road. “This is a new look for you, innit?” he says, conversationally. I glance at him. He’s a tall black guy with a shaved head and several gold teeth, probably in his 40s. He looks vaguely familiar, someone I see around the neighbourhood to nod to but as far as I know we’ve never spoken.

“I like it,” he continues, “You look nice.” I mumble a non-committal “Thanks” and keep walking.

He’s still alongside me. I’m feeling a bit on my guard now. Very rapidly I run over scenarios in my mind. It’s 8.30 a.m. and I’ve not slept well. My reflexes may not be at their best, and I’m in heels so probably couldn’t run. What if he touches me? There’s plenty of people around. Will anyone intervene if he doesn’t leave me alone? Maybe not.

He carries on. “You used to always wear a lot of black. I like this better. I fancy you now. You look really nice.”

I cringe inwardly, and I’m glad that I’m across the road and can reasonably make the excuse that I have to run for my train to get away from him. I wonder if he has any idea how creepy that sounded. Has he been watching me? How often? Does he know where I live? Maybe I should start carrying an attack alarm again, and double-lock the door at night.

By the time I get onto the train I’m furious. How DARE he pass judgement on my appearance like that? How DARE he make me feel unsafe walking down my own street?

I’m still fuming.

– Karen

Location: SW2 3BU, London

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Stopping harassers

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Was walking to a friend’s house in the early hours, heard someone shouting from a car at a woman walking in the opposite direction. The car was a Nissan Micra with three or four men in it. I watched as they stopped in the road and then began to slowly reverse back down the road with the window rolled down, obviously intending to pull level with the woman and follow her.

I started walking over towards the car, when the driver spotted me approaching he drove away. I caught up to the woman and asked if she was okay, if she was near home etc, had a short conversation with her, she seemed okay. This happens to my friends a lot, I’m very used to hearing about it, was glad to be there to do something about this time.

– p p bloxham

Location: Camden Town, London

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Expecting to be harassed

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Being harassed just for being alone on the street happens so regularly, in so many different forms that I just expect it now. From a car pulling up next to me when I’m walking home with my shopping, the man inside telling me to ‘get in the car with me beautiful’ and when I loudly refuse calling me a ‘fucking bitch slapper whore’, to the pathetic and desperate attempt to single a lone women out by muttering ‘hi’ as I walk past. I don’t know you you freak!

Whatever I wear, what I am doing, walking to work past a building site or out for a run, men single you out. If you react aggressively then you risk their anger at your ingratitude to being made an object of, in the street, uninvited. I’m sick of it. I just want to go about my day uninhibited in this so-called free country.

– AMC

Location:  London, UK

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“I’m a feminist activist, so whoever just touched my arse just made a really stupid mistake.”

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So, today I had a really good day. First, I see that the Welsh government are taking street harassment seriously in the fantastic “One Step Too Far” campaign. Then, I listen to Holly’s interview with Susan Bartelstone and felt even better: wow – people are starting to take this issue seriously! Then, having gone for a quick Friday afternoon drink with a colleague, I become depressed.

It’s my turn to get a drink, so I go to the bar to get a drink for me, my colleague and my boyfriend, who are enjoying the summer evening outside. Waiting at the bar, a guy in front of me who isn’t waiting to be served very politely moves aside for me to reach the bar. It becomes obvious that he is one of a group of four men hanging about the bar – he seems fine, and at least seems to possess some manners – but as I’m stood waiting to be served I feel a hand on my backside. I’m actually so shocked that I don’t move, I pretend I didn’t notice – because how the **** did that just happen?! Please tell me you didn’t just touch me because I’m a woman on my own at a bar?

Waiting for drinks, I can hear the guys behind me laughing about what they just did, whilst I formulate the ideal response. I try to be cool, and when I’ve paid and am heading away from the bar, I say “I’m a feminist activist, so whoever just touched my arse just made a really stupid mistake.”

I have NEVER seen such horrified expressions as I did on these guys – complete dismay and horror that a women had called them out on their actions. I walked away casually back to my boyfriend and friend. Ten minutes later, the politer of the bunch who had moved from the bar for me comes to ‘apologise’ for his idiotic friends. Reasonably nice guy, but why are you apologising for your friends? I reiterated that I don’t appreciate that kind of attention and it is unacceptable; he again apologised. Fair enough – maybe this affected these guys and made them think that this isn’t a good way to behave, but then: why the hell am I telling grown men how to behave?! Can you not see that this isn’t normal?

My one regret: I didn’t make a bigger scene and take a snap for hollaback. I wish I could think quicker.

– Jen

Location: The Friend at Hand pub, Bloomsbury, London

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Include your location and it will be added to the Street Harassment Map.

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