Stop Street Harassment

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Nepal: Fuel Shortages Lead to Carpooling… and then to Harassment (Part 2)

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Smriti RDN Neupane, Nepal, SSH Blog Correspondent

In Part 1, I discussed how a fuel shortage in Nepal has led to an increase in carpooling. However, carpooling has not been free from harassment for girls and women, and so a few young women created a closed Facebook group called “Carpool Nepal (Women).” Part 2 is my interview with one of the women (who wants to be anonymous).

Carpool Nepal (Women) 1edited finalWhat do you mean by carpool or carpooling?

Simply, carpooling is ride-sharing. To elaborate, carpooling is a way of sharing rides by several participants to save on fuel and the cost. However, in Nepal’s context, most of the time, the owners have shared a ride out of generosity.

Ok, so what is Carpool Nepal (Women) – closed group and how does it work?

Carpool Nepal (Women) is a closed women’s group on Facebook for carpooling. We are a small group of individuals. We have also created a Facebook profile with the username “Carpoolers” to keep people updated personally and by best to our collective abilities.

The women in the group mention hashtags such as #Ask to ask and #Offer to offer rides to each other.

How do you want to be addressed as – administrators, initiators, campaigners, others?

We saw some people already sharing rides and many groups already being created to help one another through ride-sharing because people were starting to have problems getting rides due to shortage of fuel. So, we do not identify ourselves as being initiators. However, we started and administered the group Carpool Nepal (Women) which was made specifically for women.

Are the administrators of Carpool Nepal open group and women only group page same?

No, we are different. After 5-6 days of Carpool open group page started, we formed a women-only closed group. We requested the admins of open group to help by posting about the women’s group page so that women would be more secure and comfortable because clearly most of them weren’t. We did not receive any reply from the administration. However, we received a message from a woman saying that there is no need for our group. But we only wanted to feel safe while carpooling by asking and offering rides for and by women.

Some people also harshly said that there was no need to divide the group. Their logic was that creating a different “women’s only” group is like segregating the country on the basis of religion, caste and ethnicity, and that the creator and members of this “women’s only” group are the narrowest of minds. It was ironic because toilets are divided based on gender; dormitories are divided based on gender, but all that they saw were us being as one of the culprits. Despite seeing so many women being bullied and harassed on Facebook, all they saw was us dividing and somehow failed to see that specific segment of women that we were targeting to help.

Were there many instances of harassment?

Women who asked for offers were bombarded with harsh comments, were teased and made fun of. One time, one of the women expressed that she felt uncomfortable while receiving a ride with strange men and that was met with so many derogatory comments from many men and few women as well. Some (or most) men made outrageous comments and that made women feel harassed and bullied. Then women who asked and offered rides to women only were ridiculed as being discriminatory towards men.

Many women were skeptic of the rides because there were some posts stating that some women were harassed. Also, some men asked for rides with needing one, just for the excuse of riding with a woman on her scooter.

There were women who needed rides and some were willing to offer rides but were too uncomfortable to post on the Facebook page because they knew they would be attacked by dreadful, awkward, perverted and crazy comments.

Also, the purpose of the initial group was to post to ask and offer with respective hashtags. However, people used to post irrelevant posts, spam posts and jokes and a lot of selfies. So, the important posts used to pile below thus very few people were getting rides. We also wanted to make it clean, so we stuck to no other things being posted except asks and offers.

What has been the overall reaction from members and non-members?

Our group is clean as there are no irrelevant posts. However, the posts have been decreasing in number. Although many women were getting rides, the stacks of posts for asking and offering that the women made would pile below and it is inconvenient to search for posts on Facebook group. Another reason is that, people would get a lot of posts in there news feed, which may have forced them to turn off notification. This has happened in both the groups and happens in Facebook groups often.

We believe that it is because of just having it as a Facebook Group. A mobile app would have helped a lot of women in need. The negative feedback which we received, we have mentioned it. The good ones, the ones who have personally sent us a message to ask us for help have thanked us a lot and we feel as much thankful to them as well for giving us an overwhelming share of delight.

Though there are only 6K+ members, women were active, very comfortable and happier than in the other group.

Do you intend to continue the campaign and your page even after easy availability of fuel?

We will help the group as long as we can from our Facebook profile. We have also helped a few by personally finding rides for them. We thought of creating a mobile app specifically for women, however the cost and time constraints kept us away from doing it. Despite that, we want to keep on helping our women by whichever way we can and we have been as well to the best of our abilities and resources.

Smriti 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 is currently engaged in an action research and advocacy on women’s leadership in climate change adaptation focusing on women’s time use.

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Nepal: Fuel Shortages Lead to Carpooling… and then to Harassment (Part 1)

By

Smriti RDN Neupane, Nepal, SSH Blog Correspondent

Nepalis carpool on scooters. Image via AM 1380 The Answer
Nepalis carpool on scooters. Image via AM 1380 The Answer

In Nepal, due to “unofficial blockade” by India since September, 2015, no fuel could be imported via the border. The blockade of borders has been causing a crisis in lives of Nepali people since it is a landlocked country surrounded by India on three sides. They have been suffering from shortage of many basic amenities in life most importantly, fuel (petrol, diesel and gas) and medicinal supplies. Fuel shortage was the first thing that hit and caused impact on daily lives of people.

Public and private vehicles became scarce, creating difficulty in mobility for everyone. During the initial days, it worsened in a way that schools had to shut down and people started walking or working from home in Kathmandu. Although there were Safa Tempos (battery-run three wheelers), there were not enough to accommodate everyone.

After the first few days, young people from Kathmandu started initiating various campaigns from a cycle rally with slogan “No Petrol, No Problem” to peaceful protests in front of the Indian embassy and Nepali government offices. The campaigns were not limited to protests and strikes but were also focused on adaptation and how to be self-sustainable.

The people who had free seats on their two wheelers or four wheelers started offering rides to others who were traveling through the same route. Similar, a campaign on Facebook called “Carpool Nepal,” which is an open group where people who had access to Facebook could #offer and #ask for rides. This became an instant hit among the young students and office workers. This fostered a very communal feeling among people towards one another in Kathmandu valley and many people benefitted through it.

Unfortunately, a campaign initiated purely to help people became a site for discomfort for women, both on the page itself and also during rides in the public roads. Various instances of harassment against women started happening. Women and girls shared their stories on the Facebook page and they were mostly met by ridicule and derogatory comments, mostly by men.

The instances of harassment started increasing at such a rate that in almost a week, a few of the young women came up with a closed Facebook group named “Carpool Nepal (Women).” Some commented that the new group was useless because it served the same purpose as “Carpool Nepal” but many women are glad that it exists.

I had a conversation with one of the administrators of the closed group, who wished to remain anonymous. Part 2 contains my conversation with them.

Smriti 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 is currently engaged in an action research and advocacy on women’s leadership in climate change adaptation focusing on women’s time use.

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Help Nepal

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4.18.15 Activista Nepal's Safety Pin march for International Anti-Street Harassment Week
4.18.15 Activista Nepal’s Safety Pin march for International Anti-Street Harassment Week

It’s been 24 hours since the devastating earthquake hit Nepal and the death toll has jumped to more than 2000. We have many activist allies there and are relieved to have heard from everyone now. They are all safe.

If you want to make a donation to help those who are injured, without a home, etc, here is one place to do so.

Another way to make a difference is to donate to our 2014 Safe Public Spaces Mentoring team Women LEAD Nepal. This is what they just shared on their Facebook page:

“As we pass the 24 hour mark on this first morning after the earthquake, a lot remains unknown about the extent of the damage and causalities, and the effects this tragedy will have over the coming months and years. What we do know if that Nepal is going to need a lot of help, and that the international community needs to empower and support local individuals and organizations to rebuild their neighborhoods, cities and nation.

Women LEAD stands by all the individuals, communities and organizations who are mobilizing to provide disaster relief on the ground in Kathmandu. We believe it will be important for adolescent girls and young women to play a strong role in rebuilding Nepal through coordinating and participating in immediate relief work, and in long-term efforts. Therefore, we are committed to supporting the WLEAD community in Nepal as they identify and respond in real time to their own communities’ most pressing needs.

We ask for your financial (and technical) support as we provide our staff, LEADers and partners with the resources they need to effectively respond to this disaster. All funds donated will go directly to our leaders and the projects they choose to run to help their communities in this difficult time. Select the “Nepal Earthquake Reconstruction Efforts” option under the list of programs to earmark your donation.”

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Today’s Events – April 16

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Virtual Events:

April 16 | 4:30 p.m. in Delhi, 6 p.m. in Kuala Lumpur (7 a.m. EDT): @INBreakthrough, @FemIndProject and @PixelProject will co-host a Tweet chat about cultural differences in harassment and reactions.

No Moleste di Strada has designed thought-provoking stickers and are placing them in public spaces highly affected by street harassment. They intend to creatively raise awareness on the phenomenon by also asking peoples’ contribution. They encourage our followers to spot the stickers, send us the pictures, and suggest us new ideas! Find the stickers on their Facebook page, and share both online and in public spaces near you!

 

International Events:

Bahamas: Hollaback! Bahamas will be hosting a chalk art event at College of the Bahamas in collaboration with the PRO Society (art club) as well as a free self-defense workshop for College of the Bahamas students.

Canada (Toronto): The Street Talk Project is launching their new exhibit! Inspired by the Take Back The Night movement and #yesallwomen, The Street Talk Project is a public art installation and gallery exhibition that addresses how women navigate the city and the socialized sexism that governs their bodies on a day-to-day basis. Using humour and subversive advertising, this project will bring attention to the ways in which public space is navigated differently by different bodies; address how sexism is felt viscerally on a day-to-day basis; and further the belief that we are all responsible for making public spaces accessible and welcoming for all bodies. [Exhibit Launch is April 16, 7-8pm at the Whippersnapper Gallery in Toronto.]

Colombia: OCAC Colombia will host ANY AGGRESSION WITHOUT RESPONSE. The Colectiva Urgente Anárquica y Sinverguenza (C.U.C.A.S), will do a workshop teaching feminist defense. We are still waiting to confirm the place, so please be aware. [2pm] | JUEVES 16 DE ABRIL – 2PM. NINGUNA AGRESIÓN SIN RESPUESTA. A cargo de la Colectiva Urgente Callejera Anárquica y Sinverguenza (C.U.C.A.S), se realizará un taller de defensa feminista. Aun estamos a la espera de confirmar el lugar, entonces estén muy pendientes

France: Stop Harcelement de Rue will be going in subway and suburban trains, and a Paris train station in order to distribute flyers and to sensitize people to all the types of violence women have to go through in transports. During these events, they will be wearing a super-hero costume as the “Team Zero Relou” (no streetharassers team)! They will also hold a Artistic happening in the hall of the Gare du Nord station, where actors will play scenes of harassment (the public will not be made aware of it being acting until the end) [5pm Gare du Nord, Paris]

France: Stop Harcelement de Rue Lyon will hold a chalk walk [5 pm. Location: Quai Victor Augagneur]

France: Stop Harcelement de Rue Lille are holding a leaflet distribution at Lille Flandres subway station. [5 pm]

Nepal: This is the final day of Nepal Mahila Ekata Samaj (Nepal Women Unity Society)‘s five day self-defense training with adolescent girls of the slum community.

United Kingdom: Hollaback! Nottingham is holding a clay workshop! They’ll be discussing street harassment and methods to deal with it while creating pieces for an upcoming exhibit [2pm at Nottingham Women’s Centre, 30 Chaucer Street, Nottingham UK. Women only please]

 

USA Events

California: Valley Crisis Center will have a button making machine where individuals can make/design their own button describing what they can do to fight street harassment/catcalling/degrading comments and also empower others to do the same. Today is your last day to snag one!  [Merced Community College  10-1PM]

Illinois: Volunteers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne campus are  holding a tabling event, and handing out buttons and sexual harassment resources [11a-1p, Main Quad]

Maryland:  UMBC’s Take Back the Night 2015: In recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, join the Women’s Center on Commons Main Street Thursday, April 16th and let’s take back the night!!

Events and activities include:
– Community Resource Fair (begins at 6pm)
– Clothesline Project
– Survivor Speak Out Forum (begins at 6:30pm)
– March Against Sexual Violence
– FORCE Monument Quilt Making Opportunity and other art activism projects
and more!

[Women’s Center at UMBC 1000 Hilltop Circle, Commons 004 at 6 PM]

Minnesota: Hollaback! Twin Cities is hosting a chalking event at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. [7:30 to 9 p.m]

Nebraska: The sociology, queer alliance and radical notion clubs at Hastings College will be distributing bystander intervention flyers on campus.

New York: No Disrespect & The Safe OUTside the System Collective present: Free the Streets. Panel discussion making connections between sexualized, gendered, and police harassment + breakouts creating solutions through prevention, intervention, support, and accountability. [6:30-8:30 p.m. at Audre Lourde Project, 85 South Oxford Street, NYC]

Pennsylvania: SAFE at Temple University, Philadelphia, is holding a self-defense class. [6pm in Morgan Hall D301]

Pennsylvania: Touch Me Philly Productions will be debuting “Reasonable Fear: A Series on Street Harassment and Rape Culture.” Touch Me Philly Productions Presents two weeks of theatre and events exploring the topics of Street Harassment & Rape Culture. This series includes a main stage theatrical production, workshops, comedy, films & more. All designed to let you explore this topic in a safe atmosphere. Nine short plays were chosen from our open submission call to create our Main Stage Theatrical Production. Catch this show Thursdays – Saturdays April 16-18 & 23-25 at 8 p.m. | INFO

Massachusetts: Guerilla Feminism Boston is collecting short stories for their handmade zine, to be passed out during their Chalk Walk (see below). As they say, “As Black women, women of color, queer, trans women & gender nonconforming poc we’re often made to feel unsafe in our own communities due to gender, homophobia, race, sexuality, and gender expression. Often this affects our commutes to and from work, school, social events and other engagements.” To submit your story to be included in our zine, please email submissions to guerrillafeminismboston@gmail.com. We’re looking for artwork, poetry, stories of what it means to be YOU walking down the street, hanging out at a bar, interacting with the police, etc. Please keep these writings under 500 words. [Submit by April 16]

Virginia: Hollaback! RVA is hosting a chalk walk on the VCU campus! They invite you to visit their table to pick up candy, literature, and chalk. [VCU Campus in Richmond]

Washington:  Jaded at Club Contour, a weekly dance night with a heavy focus on safety in their community, is hosting a dance night and distributing pamphlets explaining what street harassment is and why it’s so dangerous, and (if feasible) set up a large poster board where people can write their own stories. [9pm-2am at Club Contour, 807 1st Ave Seattle, WA]

Washington, DC: American University will host a chalking on campus [10 a.m. – 1 p.m.]

Washington D.C.: Collective Action for Safe Spaces will be hosting their 6th anniversary party, “Lights, Camera, Collective Action!” [6-9pm at Room & Board, 1840 14 St., NW]

 

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Today’s Events – April 15

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Virtual Events:

1 p.m. EDT: @EvrydayFeminism will host a Tweet chat about what communities can do to address street harassment.

 

International Events

France: Stop Harcelement de Rue – Lille is holding a meeting with comic book author Thomas Mathieu who created the Projet Crocodiles tumblr. In this tumblr, Mathieu illustrates stories of everyday sexism sent to him by readers. (To be confirmed)  6 pm. Location: Maison de l’Etudiant (Lille 1 University)]

Nepal: Youth Advocacy Nepal (YAN) and Activista Nepal in partnership with like minded social organization are organizing  an Anti-street harassment March –  a huge rally with the participation of more than 500 young people including others with placards with anti street harassment slogans. The objectives of the program is to increase the awareness on anti street harassment and exert the pressure to concerned authorities for adopting appropriate policy and laws and implement the laws prevailed in Nepal effectively.

Nepal: The Nepal Mahila Ekata Samaj (Nepal Women Unity Society will release the findings of an audit of public space of Tripuresor area of Kathmandu Valley.

 

USA Events:

California: UCI Campus Assault Resources and Education will be promoting Stop Street Harassment at their Take Back the Night event [7pm at the Flagpoles]

California: Valley Crisis Center will have a button making machine where individuals can make/design their own button describing what they can do to fight street harassment/catcalling/degrading comments and also empower others to do the same. [Merced Community College Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 10-1PM]

Georgia: Hollaback! Atlanta will be hosting HOLLA Coffee Hour. Hosted by Holla!ATL’s Kiersten Smith [4pm – 6pm at Octane Coffee Bar, 437 Memorial Drive Suite A5, Atlanta, GA 30312]

Illinois: Volunteers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne campus are holding an informal dialogue on street harassment [6-7pm, Illini Union (space TBA)]

Nebraska: The sociology, queer alliance and radical notion clubs at Hastings College will be chalking campus!

New Mexico: The Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance at the University of New Mexico invites you to stop by their table to discuss street harassment as part of their larger SAAM actions! [10:30-1:30pm at the Duck Pond, UNM Campus] INFO

New York: dianINQUE will be hosting a community meeting in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Ohio: In Athens, The People’s Justice League and EMBODY Consent will host a screen printing table. Students and community members are invited to come by with t-shirts, pillow cases and other articles of clothing to have one of several available Cats Against Cat Calls designs printed free of charge [2-6pm outside of Baker Student Center]

Washington, DC-area: WMATA, SSH, Collective Action for Safe Spaces, DC Rape Crisis Center, Rally Against Rape and more will be distributing information about harassment at five Metro stations from 4-6 p.m.

 

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