Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Street Harassment Problem in Morocco

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Seriously, is there a region (besides maybe Scandinavia) where street harassment is not a problem? I just came across an article about how pervasive the problem is in Morocco.

“Many girls suffer molestation in the streets of Morocco which often turns into sexual harassment. And in most cases it becomes difficult for these girls to respond or even to report these violations to the authorities, because the relevant law in this aspect has not been ratified yet.”

Girls and women share their harassment experiences in the article and some men talk about why it happens, including blaming their targets by saying they dress provocatively (Puleaze. I’m beyond tired of that excuse.)

The article ends on a positive note though. It tells how Adib Abdel-Salam, a founding member of the Network against Sexual Harassment Cases in Morocco, advocates for the creation of a toll-free number to help women report their cases of harassment (workplace or street) and for an easier courts process to make it easier for harassment targets to use legal means to combat it. He also stresses the importance of education and promoting respect among people. In 2008, the Moroccan parliament discussed a draft law to criminalize sexual harassment but it hasn’t been ratified.

So it seems, like many other regions around the world, the Moroccan government is starting to recognize this problem and hopefully in time will  remedy it.

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Bangladesh Suicide Prompted by Harassment

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Ugh, so sad 🙁 The New Nation is reporting that a young woman in Khulna, Bangladesh, hanged herself due to her humiliation at being street harassed (or eve teased). The accused man has been arrested. I am so sorry this young women is dead. Horrible.

Of the problem in general, the author of the article writes, “The problem is very widespread. School and college girls and female garment workers top the list of victims. Eve teasing contributes to dropouts of girls from schools or early marriage.”

These are some of the issues I cover in my forthcoming street harassment book: how young women and poor women are the most vulnerable to street harassment — because they are in public alone more often and because street harassment is about power and they are generally less powerful than other women or men and thus easier “prey” — and that harassment can keep women from living free, authentic lives. There will be no gender equality anywhere in the world until this problem ends.

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Weekly Round Up Jan. 24, 2010

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Stories:

I accept street harassment submissions from anywhere in the world.
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In the News:

Announcements:

  • Want an easy way to report harassers from your phone or want to receive a report showing all the places harassment has recently occurred? Then vote for HollaBack 2.0! This is a proposed project by HollaBack NYC and RightRides and they’re in the second round of a competition for funding to make this a reality.

Events:

Resource of the Week:

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“He had no right to touch me”

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Some dude grabbed my butt when I was getting food late last night. There was plenty of room for him to walk and I gave him a wide berth, but he walked very close to me and touched my butt very deliberately, then walked off all cool like. I gave him disgusted and annoyed looks from across the room but he ignored me and kept talking with his friends, even talking about following his female friend home to “make sure she’s safe.” He sounds like a stalker-rapist and he had no right to touch me!!

– Heina

Location: Albatros in Mission Viejo, CA

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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“The insanity”

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I currently volunteer with organization helping people find jobs. I do not have car so I walk there three times a week. It never fails that a guy will stop me ask me if I need a ride. Why would I take a ride from a total stranger. Once a guy circled around and stop me so that I was unable to cross the street. I typically curse them out and give eye contact when I do it. They typically speed off but what is going to happen when the guy does not speed off?

What is odd to me is, I am a college graduate and doing something positive in another person’s neighborhood and I am seen as a prostitute. This is absolutely insane!!!

-Natasha Toon

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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