Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Today’s Events – April 17

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Posted by CoHabita DF in Mexico City

Special Global Action!

ANYONE CAN JOIN — As part of International Anti-Street Harassment Week, Stop Telling Women to Smile is organizing an international wheat pasting night on April 17, 2015. The following groups have already organized action around this:
Canada (Ottawa): Hollaback! Ottawa will be pasting the STWTS posters [3pm, Bridgehead on Bank/Gilmour] INFO
Germany (Berlin): Hollaback! Berlin will post the STWTS posters [7pm, k-fetisch] INFO
Mexico City: CoHabita/Habitajes will paste 65 #STWTS posters along 45 stations on Line 1 of the Metrobus in Mexico City throughout the week and will join the STWTS Wheat pasting night.
Illinois: Volunteers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne campus are hosting a Stop Telling Women to Smile Day.
Iowa: The Ending Street Harassment in Iowa City group will post “Stop Telling Women to Smile” posters throughout the community.
Join them!! Here are the details! [AFTERNOON/EVENING APRIL 17] 
Virtual Events:
April 17 | 12 – 1 p.m. EDT: @NOWYoungFems will host a Tweet chat to discuss street harassment across the broad spectrum of gender-based violence and discuss a holistic strategy to violence on every level.
International Events:
Colombia: OCAC Colombia is hosting HARASSMENT IS VIOLENCE. We will march with the Tremenda Revoltosa Batucada Feminista, and beat the drums against all forms of violence on our bodies. We’ll wait you since 5pm at Colpatria Tower. | VIERNES 17 DE ABRIL – 5PM. EL ACOSO ES VIOLENCIA. Marcharemos junto con la Tremenda Revoltosa batucada feminista, haremos sonar los tambores contra todo tipo de violencias sobre nuestros cuerpos. Les esperamos a partir de las 5pm frente a la Torre Colpatria, en la carrera séptima con calle 26.
France: Stop Harcelement de Rue Lille is launching the “No harassment bar”. This is an agreement reached between the collective and a bar (of which the name will be announced that night) in order to make it a “no harassment zone”. We are hoping to reach agreements with more bars later on. [nighttime]
Romania: FILIA: Centre for Curriculum Development and Gender Studies: ”Anti-street harassment evening” – Evening documentaries/ clips and a debate about street harassment with people interested in the subject.
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]
USA Events:
Illinois: Volunteers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne campus are hosting Walk a Mile [5-6p on Main Quad] and Green Street Hug-in [6-8p on 6th & Green Streets]
Minnesota: Hollaback! Twin Cities is hosting two chalking events at the University of Minnesota [12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Location TBD.] INFO.
Missouri: The UMKC Women’s Center will be chalking around campus all week, and invites students to stop by the center to learn more! [April 13-17]
Nebraska: The sociology, queer alliance and radical notion clubs at Hastings College will be holding a talk-in to discuss street harassment experiences and solutions.
Nevada: Hollaback! Las Vegas is hosting a Chalk walk Downtown Container Park [4pm to 6pm at the Corner of Fremont and 7th]
Ohio: The People’s Justice League will be leading a chalk walk to mark problematic areas on the Ohio University campus [6pm. Meet at the bottom of Jeff Hill on campus]
Ohio: The People’s Justice League will be hosting a screening of the film Cairo 678 [8pm at Donkey Coffee, 17 West Washington St., Athens OH 45701]
Washington, DC: Nigerian LGBT activist Bisi Alimi will be speaking at the DC Center [8:30 p.m.]
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Today’s Events – April 13

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Here are the main events happening for day two of International Anti-Street Harassment Week!

Virtual Events:

April 13 | 2 p.m. EDT: @StopStHarassmnt, @NoStHarassWeek and @Noacosocalles will chat about practical solutions to street harassment.

April 13, 6-7pm – Me=You Street Harassment Awareness will be hosting a Google Hangout with Erin McKelle from Stop Street Harassment (SSH), who will be speaking about this cause and answering questions on sexual harassment. INFO. 

Stop Harcelement de Rue (Paris) will be hosting a Twitter chat about sexism and harassment on public transportation (@stophdr #terminusrelou) [3 pm]

 

International Events:

Colombia: Hosted by OCAC Colombia:

5PM to 8PM: TALK “COMPLIMENT OR HARASSMENT, LET’S TALK ABOUT STREET HARASSMENT.” Street harassment is an issue that must be discussed, so we will be waiting for you at the Camilo Torres Auditorium of the Sociology’s building at the National University.

CHARLA “GALANTERÍA O ACOSO, HABLEMOS DE ACOSO CALLEJERO.” El acoso callejero es un tema del que hay que hablar, así que les esperamos en el Auditorio Camilo Torres del edificio de Sociología de la Universidad Nacional.

United Kingdom: London transit will be releasing their marketing video for the anti-harassment campaign Project Guardian called Report It to Stop It.

France: Stop Harcelement de Rue (LILLE) New poster campaign launch [8 pm.]

 

USA Events:

Georgia: Hollaback! Atlanta will be hosting  Let Me HOLLA at You – A Panel Discussion. Presented by Holla!ATL’s Tayler Mathews and Clark Atlanta University’s Women’s Initiative Program [6pm – 7:30pm at Clark Atlanta University, McPheeters Dennis, RM 201, 223 James P Brawley Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30314

Illinois: Volunteers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne campus are hosting #GamerGate Hot Topics Dialogues, a discussion about online harassment [7pm, Women’s Resources Center]

Nebraska: The sociology, queer alliance and radical notion clubs at Hastings College are hosting a “Cats against Catcalling” sticker giveaway [April 13]

Utah: Fearless Self Defense is hosting “Take Back The Streets With Chalk!” [3-7pm at Liberty Park, Salt Lake City]

Washington D.C.: American University’s Take Back The Night event will in part address street harassment  [7-10pm]

Washington D.C.: GW Feminist Student Union has been creating a photo campaign in which GW students holding a sign with an example of street harassment that has happened to them. On April 13, they will be debuting the photos, adding new ones, and handing out empowering compliments to those who want them! [Kogan Plaza at George Washington University]

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Today’s Events – April 12

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It’s the first day of Meet Us On the Street: International Anti-Street Harassment Week, and we already have so much going on!

Virtual Events:

Please join Young Feminists and Allies, the National Organization for Women’s First Virtual Chapter, and Stop Street Harassment for a Google Hangout about Street Harassment from a multicultural perspective.

Holly Kearl, founder of International Anti-Street-Harassment Week, will moderate three brave women with diverse backgrounds as they discuss the similarities and differences in the ways they experience street harassment.

* Kasumi Hirokawa: TCK and trilingual feminist from Shanghai who currently lives in Japan

* MorningStar Angeline: Native American and Latina actress who lived in both the Southwest and West Coast of America

* Muneera Hassan: Bangladeshi-American, Muslim, college student from Boston currently living in Northern VA who wears hijab

There will be a Q&A section, so please send us your questions in advance or during the event at youngfeminists at gmail dot com or Tweet at at @nowyoungfems and please use the #EndSH hashtag.

International Events:

Cameroon: Young Women for a Change, Cameroon is holding a dialogue in Beau with youth and adolescents to address the different forms of Street harassment facing women and girls and how to intervene. [April 12]

Canada (Vancouver): Hollaback! Vancouver will be debuting their interactive campaign and art show “What’s Your Number?” It will enable people to record the frequency and emotions involved with street harassment for 24 hours. Clickers (or counters) will be distributed to initial participants along with a blank notebook. For 24 hours, they will click twice for direct street harassment, and once for an indirect impact. At the end of the 24 hours, the clickee is encouraged to creatively express the experience in the notebook provided through mediums like poetry, illustration or essaying before they’re passed on to the next one. At the end of the week, the notebooks will be collected by the Hollaback Vancouver team for compilation. In order to showcase the process behind What’s Your Number?, the art show will be a free event extended to the community at-large. Part education, part creative and part party, this night will get everyone together in a comfortable space to talk about the effects of street harassment and – most importantly – what can be done. [Campaign kicks of all over the city on April 12th, with the Artshow / wrap up party taking place April 30th 436 Columbia St Vancouver BC 7-11 pm]

Colombia: OCAC Colombia  is hosting SUNDAY, APRIL 12 – 9:00 a.m.: STOP THE STREET HARASSMENT: We will be in the Sunday’s Bikeway and we will will cross cycling the 7th Avenue from Plaza Bolivar to the National Park | DOMINGO 12 DE ABRIL – 9 AM. ALTO AL ACOSO. Estaremos en la Ciclovía y haremos un recorrido por la carrera séptima desde la Plaza de Bolívar hasta el Parque Nacional

Nepal: Hollaback! Kathmandu will be hosting a Stand Up Against Street Harassment event, displaying charts and boards that say street harassment is not okay. They will also be interacting with the local people about what the campaign is and what they can do to respond to street harassment and stop it. [April 12, 3-5pm at Basantapur]

USA Events:

Iowa: Hollaback! Des Moines is hosting their 3rd Annual Chalk Walk to End Street Harassment. [April 12, 1 pm at the Pappajohn Education Center]. Can’t be there in person? Sometime during the week of April 12-18, go back to a street where you experienced harassment. Reclaim that space by writing an empowering message; then take a picture and send it to them at dsm@ihollaback.org! They will post all the photos to their blog after the event.

Pennsylvania: FAAN Mail will be kicking off EndSHWeek with their 5th annual rally and community engagement event. [April 12, 2-5pm at Love Park, Philadelphia]

Virginia: Hollaback! RVA is hosting a Bystander Workshop discussing and presenting on how bystander intervention and street harassment intersect. They will provide “swag bags” and snacks to participants! [Richmond, April 12, time and place TBA]

Plus, some of our groups got an early start on things and hosted these fabulous events on Saturday, April 11th:

Bahamas: Hollaback! Bahamas hosted a meditation and stress relief workshop with the World Peace Initiative.

United Kingdom: Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Centre hosted street action focused on victim-blaming and rape culture (#ThisDoesn’tMeanYes) at Braithwait Tunnel, Braithwaite Street, London.

South Korea: Rok Gi Yeon Promotions hosted “Ladies Night Vol. 2,” a benefit concert to support the charity Disruptive Voices, in Seoul. Find the Facebook event here.

Pakistan: No to Harassment hosted a fabulous panel and discussion about how a woman is #notanobject.

New York: Hollaback! hosted the annual NYC Anti-Street Harassment Rally! The event featured local activists and speakers and include da series of workshops for folks to learn more and take action against street harassment. It also featured Hollaback!’s famous 12 foot inflatable #catagainstcatcalling cat.

Pennsylvania: University of Scranton is hosted a SHARE (Street Harassment Awareness Response and Education) Fair.

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Second Street Harassment Study in Chile

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Posted with the permission of Observatorio Contra el Acoso Callejero Chile

* New study shows that serious street harassment practices such as touching, exhibitionism and masturbation affect two in every five people on average.

* High percentage of citizens agree that sexual harassment in streets should be punished.

SANTIAGO, 19 March.- This week (March, 16th), at the former Congress, the Observatorio Cotra el Acoso Callejero – OCAC Chile (Observatory Against Street Harassment) presented the results of its second study, “Is Chile willing to punish street harassment? Study of characterization and opinion about street harassment and possible sanctions.”

Among the findings of the study, notes that three out of four people have suffered street harassment in Chile in the last 12 months, which means 75% of the population. In the case of women, the percentage reaches 85% and of men 55%.

The study also revealed that cases of street harassment are common: two in five people have suffered rubbing, touching or groping in public spaces, and 23% of women have experienced some form of serious harassment (persecution, exhibitionism, public masturbation).

Regarding the perception of the public on this issue, the results show that 84% of people totally disapprove any practice of harassment, whether “compliments”, groping or exhibitionism.

Another surprising fact was the boldness of the result of the question “Are you willing to punish street harassment?”. The answer was a resounding yes: over 90% of people said they would sanction any for of street harassment. What, in the Observatory’s opinion, demonstrates the need to legislate.

“This study reinforces our policy action: analyze a type of violence that has been naturalized and do not accept to have 12 years old girls who need to be “used to street harassment. The results of our second study demonstrate that we are facing a significant social change, Chileans think street harassment is harmful and should be punished”, said María José Guerrero, sociologist and parti of the OCAC Chile’s Studies team.

To conduct this study, OCAC Chile was sponsored by UN Women and European Union.

 

Press contacts

Observatorio contra el Acoso Callejero (OCAC)
Javiera Contreras
comunicaciones@ocacchile.org
+569 8136 7869

Programa de Fortalecimiento de Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil que Promueven la Igualdad de Género ONU Mujeres – Unión European
Mónica Maureira M.
maureira.monica@gmail.com
+569 9959 4156

 

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OCAC Chile presents New Bill to Congress

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Posted with the permission of Observatorio Contra el Acoso Callejero Chile

VALPARAISO, 17 March.- In the month of International Women’s Day and the UN CSW 59th, which discusses the status of women in the world, Chile advances in the struggle for gender equality. In order to remove street harassment from the bad number of violence complaints, as well as prevent future attacks and protect victims, the Observatorio Contra el Acoso Callejero Chile – OCAC Chile (Observatory Against Street Harassment), Tuesday, presented to Congress the Bill “Law for Street Respect”, which seeks to enroll street harassment in Chilean law.

The project is divided into four main areas: it defines what is understood as street harassment, defines what acts shall constitute a minor offense, incorporates into the Penal Code the offense of street harassment and proposes alternative measures with an educational focus. In parallel, OCAC Chile submitted to the Executive power a set of recommendations to promote educational and preventive public policy, and thus not merely criminalize the problem.

“We believe that the Law for Street Respect is a vital step towards a more friendly and safe public space for everyone. This will be a tool that will prevent attacks and protect victims, besides having a preventive, educational and committed to gender equity approach”, said Maria Francisca Valenzuela, President of OCAC Chile.

The document is sponsored by the deputies Camila Vallejo (PC) and Karla Rubilar (Amplitud) and was signed by parliamentarians of cross militancy, as Giorgio Jackson (Independiente-RD), Daniella Cicardini (PS), Loreto Carvajal (PPD) Marcela Sabat (RN), Karol Cariola (PC), Vlado Mirosevic (Liberal), Yasna Provost (DC) and Gabriel Boric (Self-IA).

“It is important to legislate on street assaults so they do not become naturalized, since in an almost imperceptibly way they can affect psychologically who is the subject of such aggression. I hope we can have a transverse support this motion,” said Santiago’s  deputy, Giorgio Jackson.

For its part, the parliamentary Camila Vallejo, sponsor of the bill, said that “every day, women of all ages, regardless of socioeconomic status, are discriminated against and abused physically or psychologically. Laws like this are intended to assert our struggle for gender equality, for recognition of our humanity, so often trampled and abused”.

To develop this initiative, OCAC Chile had the support of UN Women and the European Union. If passed the law, Chile would join countries like Peru, and various nations of Europe which have already moved towards regulations that address, prevent and punish this form of violence.

For more information, OCAC has developed the respetocallejero.cl website, where you can download the full bill, review an explanatory video and read testimonials about street harassment in Chile.

Video with english subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm2cQ8wixPc&feature=youtu.be

Press Contacts

Observatory Against Street Harassment (OCAC Chile)

Javiera Contreras
comunicaciones@ocacchile.org
+569 8136 7869

Program to Strengthen Civil Society Organizations that Promote Gender Equality UN Women – European Union
Monica M. Maureira
maureira.monica@gmail.com
+569 9959 4156

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