Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Harassment on buses in Bangalore, India

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Women face many problems during traveling in the bus,while getting inside the rush bus, standing in the rush, while long traveling. Men used to sit at the back and disturb them, even school going girls. I too personally was harassed for repeated number of times. It will affect mentally and reduce the boldness.

– angelin

Location: Bangalore, India

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“More rights for women, Egypt for all Egyptians”

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Yesterday in Egypt, activists called for a Million Woman March in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, demanding “fair and equal opportunity for all Egyptian citizens — beyond gender, religion or class.”

I wrote about the planned March with optimism, just as the organizers and participants felt optimism. This morning, reading about what happened makes me feel tired. Tired knowing how much longer Egyptian women (and women all over the world) will have to keep working toward equal rights, including the rights to public spaces free from harassment or assault, in the face of such hateful opposition.

Via NPR:

“Hundreds of women — some in headscarves and flowing robes, others in jeans — who marched to the square to celebrate the anniversary, demand equality and an end to sexual harassment were soon outnumbered by men who chased them out.

“They said that our role was to stay home and raise presidents, not to run for president,” said Farida Helmy, a 24-year-old journalist.”

Via CNN.com:

“The turnout appeared to be no more than than 1,000, and the event quickly degenerated into shouting matches between the two sides.

“Men are men and women are women and that will never change and go home, that’s where you belong,” some of the anti-feminist demonstrators chanted.

There were men on both sides of the protest.

Organizers calling for the demonstration said on Facebook they were “not after minority rights. We are not after symbolic political representation.”

On Aljazeera, Fatma Naib shared her experiences and pictures from being on the square:

“I arrived in Tahrir around 2pm local time [12GMT] on Tuesday March 8, but was surprised to see the sheer volume of men who outnumbered the women, as if it was International Men’s Day!…

Many Egyptian and non-Egyptian men came in big numbers in support of the rally.

And a group of French and Italian expats also turned up in solidarity with the women of Egypt.

“We came here to show solidarity and support women’s rights in the world wherever they are. In Tahrir even more because women played a huge role in the revolution like the men,” Rafaela from Italy said….

Women of all ilk, young, old, veiled, unveiled, all decked up at the Tahrir Square. As they stood there peacefully with their signs that read: “more rights for women”, “Egypt for all Egyptians”, a small crowd of men started to gather in front of the women’s rally.

The anti-women’s day crowd grew as did their loud chants that said:”al shab yoreed esqat al madam“, “the people demand the removal of the lady/women”.

Some of them directed their aggression towards the men who were supporting the women; others just chanted ‘illegitimate’ while pointing at the pro-women crowd….

As the anti-women day crowd grew, the atmosphere went from celebratory to hostile. Most of the men and some of the women, that joined them later, had a problem with one of the demands that called for a woman to become a president….

It was a sad moment to see how a day that was meant to celebrate women all over the world end like this. It was particularly sad to see the faces of some of the women that were visibly shocked at the response and behaviour of the anti-women day protesters.

The event organiser was shocked at the incident.

She said, “I am shocked, I didn’t expect this to happen. But these guys are unaware of our plight and it will take time before the awareness is spread.”

For now the wheel of discussion and creating awareness about women issues and their democratic demands have started, but for now, the idea of a woman president seems unlikely… at least for now…”

Photo by Fatma Naib

“Rebel,” an Egyptian man who attended the rally to support the women, shared what happened on his blog, ending with:

“I was called a faggot defending whores. I was told I wasn’t Egyptian for doing this.

So now. Some accuse us of being too controversial. Some accuse us of using the wrong time and place to voice our grievances. Until when would we remain silent? And till when we will be too shy to call for women rights? I am not sorry I called for justice. I am just really appalled but what my friends had to go through. We managed to get our voices heard for once, and it won’t be the last time.

I hope what happened today will shed some light on the unacceptable attitudes towards women. More men need to speak out for women too. This will definitely help our cause.

The battle is hard. Mubarak’s regime and authoritarianism destroyed people’s sense of diversity. It may take years to actually change attitudes. I think we are up for it though.”

What happened is very disheartening ,but I know that those who support women’s rights won’t give up!

Do Something: This coming Saturday, HarassMap and The New Woman Foundation are hosting a discussion about women’s rights and ending sexual harassment in the streets. Saturday, March 12th, at 1:00 pm, at 14 abdel monem sanad st, off Ahmed Orabi, Mohandessin, Giza.

And on March 20, it’s International Anti-Street Harassment Day. Harassment in the streets is a global problem – people all over the world will speak out and question its social acceptability.

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One week, three instances of harassment in Wales

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Hello. I have not written in here for a while – fortunately. But now I have a reason to write.

I have been harassed three times this last week.

Ok, first one: I was walking down my street on my way to my boyfriend’s house. Two lads walked past me and one said, “Alright love?” I politely replied, “Yes thanks,” and went on. I didn’t think much of it until i heard them snickering a few seconds afterwards. Why?

Second story: I was walking back from my boyfriend’s house (on a different day) and a gang of teenagers walked across the road near me. A boy shouted, “Can I have your number?” I told himI have a boyfriend. Then he yelled, “Twat!” at me before rambling on that I was being ‘stubborn’. What appauled me the most was that there were girls with him and one said, “He wants to buttf*ck you.” Sigh.

Third tale: I was walking to the local supermarket when a teenage boy and girl came walking towards me. As I came in line with them, he shouted, “Fuck my ass!”

I have two words for the lot of you idiots. GROW UP.

– Clarice

Location: Porthcawl and North Cornelly, Wales

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“Mmm those look delicious”

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I was at a Borders in Cleveland in the cookbook section because I love cooking and this gross old man goes, “Mmm those look delicious.” I was bent down and he was looking right down my blouse.

I said, “That’s awkward,” and he said, “Sorry but i thought i would tell you…”

He walked away and I Was like WTF. Why do I always feel like a piece of meat?

– Tanya P

Location: Borders in Cleveland, OH

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Harassment of women business travelers

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If you’re a woman who has traveled alone, especially for business, you’ve probably thought a lot about how to stay safe and unharassed.

Joe Sharkey at the New York Times devoted his weekly business travel column today to harassment while traveling and how women deal with it. I’m very grateful. It’s a well written article (full disclosure, I’m quoted in it) and it brings this important women’s issue and important business issue to the attention of the general public.

His article made me remember how often this topic came up when I was researching public harassment for my book. At a very basic level, I read many stories about how harassment and feelings of unsafety impacted women’s eating habits. Women shared stories about going to a restaurant alone and having to deal with men harassing and propositioning them (even men with wedding rings). Because of those experiences, going forward, crackers and candy in a vending machine or expensive room service became necessary alternatives for dinner.

Crazy, right? And that’s on the lesser end of the spectrum of changes many women make while traveling.

Last April, I went on my first business trip. For part of the trip, I was safe and secure, staying with an aunt and cousin who lived near where I gave a talk. But during the second half of the trip, I was in an area I’d never been, staying alone in a hotel. I went running soon after I arrived at my hotel and a scary harassment experience I faced led me to write one of my first op-eds. It also made me feel really unsafe as a woman traveling alone, especially as my hotel room was on the first floor, less than a mile from where the man harassed me.

I had to talk myself into not being frightened. I had to convince myself that the statistics for being attacked were in my favor – it was more likely I’d get hurt in a car crash than that a man would break into my room and attack me. And the self pep-talk worked. Mostly.

I travel a lot now to give talks about street harassment and I continue to make myself be brave. To go out running alone. To explore the city if I have time in my schedule. To not eat all of my meals from a vending machine. I remind myself that I have every right to be in public and I have every right to travel alone without restrictions.

Are you a woman who has traveled alone for work? Do you have any strategies for feeling safe?

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