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What’s in a Name?

April 7, 2017 By Contributor

Guest Post for International Anti-Street Harassment Week

By Blythe Tyrone

Youth Advocacy Nepal, April 2017

Ask any woman if she’s experienced street harassment, and she’s likely to respond emphatically in the affirmative. She’ll probably have a few anecdotes to share (she might even laugh while doing so), recounting what was said and done by whom, maybe regretting the way she handled the situation but recognizing the potential danger of an alternative response. As result of the harassment, she might share that she now avoids that one street at certain times of the day, or perhaps makes a point to listen to music while walking down a city street to discourage unwanted comments, or simply to drown them out.

To a passerby, street harassment may just seem like harmless words, but these uninvited interactions have real effects on women’s daily lives. I intentionally don’t jog on the sidewalk of high-traffic streets, for instance, because the occasional honk or holler is jarring and distracting from what should otherwise be a stress-relieving activity. It’s minor, but it’s a real change I have made in my life because of street harassment.

Because street harassment is so common, it seemed like an area that would be ripe for academic research, but when I started digging into the literature, I was surprised at how little I could find, especially compared to similar topics like sexual harassment. I thought street harassment was such an obvious problem and was surprised that no one seemed to care about it. I could find peer-reviewed research on what pick-up lines worked better at a bar, but little about something so common it’s been the subject of a viral video, comedy sketches, webcomics, think pieces, a Tumblr project, disturbing headlines, and initiatives.

The problem, I soon learned, was a simple matter of definition. What’s in a name? Well, quite a lot, apparently. Eventually I discovered that I was far from the only one interested in researching street harassment, but I was one of the few actually using that term. Street harassment research is scattered across disciplines under a variety of names such as stranger harassment (Fairchild & Rudman, 2008), public harassment (Gardner, 1995), catcalling (Wesellmann & Kelly, 2010), girl watching (Quinn, 2002), sexual terrorism (Nielson, 2002), street remarks (Kissling, 1991), and street hassling (West, 1987). So, earlier, when you asked that woman if she’s experienced street harassment? She could actually have described any one of these experiences.

Research is an important tradition that helps us understand problems and leads us to solutions. If we are not using the same words when identifying our problems, how can we expect to share what we have learned about them so that others may take our experience into consideration for their own work or build on it?

For my graduate thesis at NC State University, I have made a point to explore the many names street harassment research might be disguised under in past research. However, as more and more people – especially beyond the hallowed halls of academia – start using the term street harassment, not only might it spur researchers to start using the same name, but it may help spread awareness to the general public as well. To recognize and call out street harassment when we see it, we need to all be on the same page as to what we’re calling it to begin with. This isn’t to say that there are not many different layers that shape street harassment (it is certainly enmeshed in issues of race, power, gender, sexuality, etc.), but if we have a common place to start, we will be more unified and effective in the overall effort to stop street harassment.

Blythe Tyrone is a graduate student at NC State University studying street harassment for her thesis research. Follow her on Twitter @blythe_tyrone.

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Filed Under: anti-street harassment week Tagged With: academic research, Blythe Tyrone, NC State University, north carolina, research, street harassment, thesis

Today’s Events – April 18

April 18, 2015 By BPurdy

Bangladesh

It’s the last day of International Anti-Street Harassment Week! Here are some of the actions taking place.

International:

Bangladesh: AUW Speak Up Club members will go out to streets of Chittagong with flyers and message boards to raise awareness about street harassment, to ask people to share their messages, to raise their voice, and to join the campaign.

Canada (Alberta): Hollaback! Alberta is holding “Street Harassment Happens Here,” where they will be walking through the high traffic areas of Whyte avenue, stopping every 5 minutes, and providing chalk & support to those who wish to participate. Participants are welcome to use sidewalk chalk to describe their experiences and/or feelings regarding street harassment on the sidewalk. It can be specific incidences that have occurred on Whyte Ave, or they can be general statements. Chalking can be a powerful way to share your experiences, reclaim spaces that are made to feel unsafe, and support those who are silenced by street harassment. [April 18, 1-5pm on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton between Gateway Blvd and 109th Street.]

Chile: OCAC Chile will host an event in a local park with performances and art [April 18]

Colombia: OCAC Colombia is hosting a an event in Bogota: SATURDAY 18 APRIL – 7PM: We will closure the week dancing, so you are invited to a pro-fund International Week Against Street Harassment spree. See you at la Redada, Carrera 19 No 33A-26 | SÁBADO 18 DE ABRIL – 9PM. Cerraremos la semana bailando e invitándoles a una farra pro-fondos Semana Internacional Contra el Acoso Callejero. Nos vemos en el Rehuso, en la Carrera 19 No 33A-26

France: Stop Harcelement de Rue Lyon will be holding a chalk walk [April 18 – 3 pm. Location: Montée de la Grande Côte]

France: Stop Harcelement de Rue Lille is holding a wall of shame: post-its are made available for passers-by to write insults and catcalls they were subjected to. The post-its are then glued to a giant board (this is the second wall of shame as the first one took place on International Women’s Day). [April 18 – 2 pm]

Nepal: The Nepal Mahila Ekata Samaj (Nepal Women Unity Society) will be chalk writing on street and bridge – Write the slogan and demand on street and bridge inform the public and masses abou the issue. [April 18]

Romania: FILIA: Centre for Curriculum Development and Gender Studies: is hold a public action in park to raise awareness and to share fliers with information about street harassment and also write chalk messages, discussing with people and ending the activity with a flashmob about the importance of bystander intervention and avoiding victim-blaming attitudes.

Serbia: Equity Youth Association will be hosting a week long campaign to educate locals about what street harassment is. This will include flyering and handing out graphics and info across the city with information from their recently conducted survey, and hosting a chalk walk with local university students in a city park that is notorious for being  a high-harassment area [Flyering April 12-18, Chalk Walk April 17th]

Turkey: Hollaback! Izmir will be hosting several events through the week, including a street harassment forum [April 12, 2-3pm at Caffenol Bistro], a banner-making workshop [April 12, 3:30-4:30pm] and panels and street activity [April 18, 2-6pm] Find more info here. 

United Kingdom: Hollaback! York will be holding their launch event during #EndSHWeek! Join them to share stories and learn more about their new community survey. [April 18, 1:30-3pm Fishergate Room the in the Priory Street Centre]

 

USA Events:

Maryland: STREETWISE is hosting a Basics of Self Defense Class. This 4-hour hands-on workshop will give you the confidence, knowledge and strength to feel empowered in a life-threatening situation. You will learn basic defense techniques on how to recognize, react to and survive an attack! [Saturday, April 18, 2015 @ 10:00am – 2:00pm  at Fitness Craze – 223-D Brierhill Drive, Bel Air, MD 21015] INFO

Nevada: Hollaback! Las Vegas is hosting a Self-Defense Workshop with Israeli Martial Arts. The workshop is FREE but spaces are limited. To register, email gabrielle@RCCLV.org with the subject line “self defense workshop” [Saturday, April 18th 11am to 1pm]

New York: dianINQUE will be hosting community outreach via chalk walks and flyering on April 18 and 19.

North Carolina: SSH campaign manager Britnae will be hosting a charity yoga class at Durham Yoga Company. Street harassment takes a toll on our mental well-being. Take some time to recenter and focus on self-love during this yoga class! We’ll be giving out SSH-themed gift bags! Class is free, but 100% of proceeds will go back to Stop Street Harassment.  [Saturday, April 18, 6-7:30pm]

Massachusetts: Guerilla Feminism Boston will be hosting Reclaim Our Spaces: A Chalk Walk for Black Women, WOC, Queer, and Trans Women. Join them while they use chalk to share our stories, tell our truths and stand in solidarity for those we have lost to street harassment & gender based violence. Allies are welcome as long as they are active in their support of the communities mentioned above. [April 18, 3:30-5:30pm at the Mass Ave T Stop on the Orange Line, Boston]

Washington, DC: SSH, CASS and Batala! will host street action at U Street and 14th Street, 2-4 p.m.[April 18]

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Filed Under: anti-street harassment week Tagged With: Batala!, Bogota, canada, CASS, dianINQUE, Durham Yoga Company, Equity Youth Association, FILIA: Center for Curriculum Development and Gender Studies, france, Guerrilla Feminism Boston, Hollaback Alberta, Hollaback Izmir, HOllaback Las Vegas, Hollaback York, lille, Lyon, maryland, massachusetts, Nepal Mahila Ekata Samaj, Nevada, north carolina, OCAC Chile, OCAC Colombia, Romania, self defense, Serbia, SSH, Stop Harcelement de Rue, STREETWISE, turkey, UK, Washington DC, yoga

Going to the movies is soooooo fun!!

September 10, 2009 By Contributor

Just the other day I was harassed by a large group of guys hanging around outside of a movie theater in broad daylight. The theater was empty, the street was empty, and the parking lot I was on my way to was also empty. So I felt some concern for my safety.

I turned and walked out of the theater and they didn’t see me until I was walking away from them. By then, they started shouting things like, “HEY GIRL HEY HEY HEY HEY WHAT’S YOUR NAME HEY LET ME HIT IT,” and I laughed to myself, amused by their stupidity. It’s empowering to just laugh at them for being so idiotic, but I didn’t dare turn around so they could see me laughing. I listened to the yelling to make sure the sound wasn’t coming any closer because I was way too chicken to turn around (I avoid confrontation at all costs, I have social anxiety disorder). I kept on walking, calmly, in a minding-my-business-completely-unfazed manner (but so tempted to flip them the bird, dammit, but no. i don’t wanna make the situation worse by giving them any attention, sigh) until I turned the corner and realized the parking lot was so empty. I guess nobody wanted to see a movie that day but me.

And I became worried that the bank next door was also empty because it was closed, so nobody over there could see anything should I be followed to my car. AND my car was parked so far away. So my pace quickened and I kept glancing behind me, key in hand, making sure I WASN’T being followed in the middle of broad fucking daylight. I’ve never been followed before, but I’ve also never been catcalled while completely alone outside with not a soul in sight. It was scary, but I felt like I at least had daylight on my side. I still got in my car and locked the doors and felt better after that.

It fucking ruins your day to know you were being treated like an animal, like an object momentarily occupying someone else’s personal scenery. If there had been any other people around, I would have been incredibly embarrassed, but glad they were there at least. And I’m thankful the situation didn’t turn out any worse than that.

It was funny at first, then scary when I realized I was so alone, and at home I was just miserable because it was the icing on the cake of what was already a pretty miserable day. Soooo yay… And the movie sucked…

– d.w.

Location: Morganton, NC

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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Filed Under: Stories Tagged With: morganton, north carolina, sexual harassment, street harassment

Street Harassment Event in Asheville, NC

April 5, 2009 By HKearl

heybabyartexhibitashevillencAre you in North Carolina? If so, on April 10, you can check out this free street harassment event in Asheville called “Hey Baby!: Resisting Sexual Harassment in Public Spaces, One Bloque at a Time.”

“A bunch of people I know were talking about sexual harassment in our neighborhood, especially downtown and in West Asheville,” Erin Johnson, one of the organizers  said. “We were frustrated by how we felt unsafe, even in groups of people. So we thought, ‘What are some ways that we can take the frustration and anger and make something productive?’”

But the art included in the event that will take place at Asheville BookWorks on April 10 isn’t meant to be hung on a gallery wall; it’s designed to be taken to the streets and be used as tools to prevent, resist or educate.

She views this exhibit as “the first step, raising awareness, and doing it through art,” she said.

For the event, Johnson is making magnetic bumper stickers that respond to particular instances of sexual harassment that she’s experienced riding her bike around downtown Asheville, she said. The magnets display such phrases as “You sexually harassed me,” which can be placed on a vehicle but can be removed by the offending occupant.

That way, “they have to interact with (the magnet) and have to think about it,” she said.

The organizers will be accepting submissions until Wednesday.

Other pieces already accepted include posters with radical cheerleading chants, bike flags and business cards with instructions for appropriate interaction, Johnson said.

The event will also include a viewing of a documentary as well as workshops about what to do if you are sexually harassed and ways to start a conversation about the issue, she said.”

I wish I could attend, it sounds like it will be a great event.

Where: Asheville BookWorks, 428 1/2 Haywood Road. When: 7-10 p.m. April 10. For more: To submit works, contact Erin Johnson at ejohnson00@gmail.com or drop work off at BookWorks 1-4 p.m. by April 8. For more information, call 255-8444 or visit www.AshevilleBookWorks.com.

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Filed Under: Administrator, street harassment Tagged With: asheville, Asheville BookWorks, bike flags, business cards, catcalling, documentary, north carolina, radical cheerleading chants, sexual harassment in public places, street harassment

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