Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

“How come your hand doesn’t slip over a hot oven?”

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A guy on a bus in India thinks it’s funny to “accidentally” let his hand slip to touch a female passenger. His buddies seem to think it’s funny, too. Watch what happens when he tries to touch her a second time…

This video clearly shows how a bystander can end a harassment incident and help change the social acceptability of harassment, especially when the woman experiencing harassment may not feel able to respond. The bystander did not back down and he thought fast on his feet with his retorts. (Side note: I am against the use of violence if at all possible).

What other responses do you think the bystander – or the woman facing the harassment – could have given when “Romeo”‘s asserted that his hand slip was an accident?

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New Indian study: 98 percent of women report street harassment

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There aren’t a lot of studies out there about street harassment, so this week I was happy to read about two more. They were recently conducted in Korea and India.

#1: In a study of 828 salaried employees in an unnamed city in Korea, 43 percent said they experienced sexual harassment during their commute, and 79 percent were women. Via The Korean Times:

“Nearly 72 percent of the incidents occurred on subway cars, followed by buses at 27.3 percent and taxis at 1.1 percent. Nearly 60 percent said they experienced harassment between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. when most workers are on their way to work, while 17 percent were between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. while returning home from work.

About 61.9 percent said at the time of the sexual harassment, it was too crowded for them to move within the subway train or bus. In response to the harassment, 43.2 percent said they did nothing about it, and 25 percent moved to a different place. Only 18.2 percent strongly protested against the assailants and 6.3 percent shouted in anger.”

Unfortunately, the findings aren’t too different from surveys conducted in Chicago and New York City regarding harassment on the transit systems. The growing number of women-only transit around the world plus studies like these are a testament to the global problem of sexual harassment on public transportation.

#2: In the state capitol of Thiruvananthapurm in the south Indian state Keralaas, 1000 women were recently interviewed about street harassment. Ninety-eight percent said they had experienced it and 90 percent said the harassment was either physically or vocally violent. The harassment was notable on public transportation and 62 percent had experienced it there. Only seven percent had reported any of their experiences of harassment.

The study was part of UNIFEM’s safe cities project in India and once they have completed their studies they will work on solutions to make public places safer for women and girls. I met several people working on this initiative within the UN and Jagori at a recent conference in India. I am so grateful for the work they are doing!

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“I was street harassed twice within a 15-second time frame today”

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I was walking across the street and this car started to turn while I was still in the crosswalk. He came up really close to me, to the point where I thought he was going to hit me. Instead, he rolled down his window and yelled, “Hey sexy!” and then drove off very quickly — before I even had time to register what was said. I was scared at first, too, because I thought he was going to hit me, and then I was afraid of being pulled into the car. I was so startled it took me a second to react. I was shaken and angry.

Then, just as I got on the sidewalk and the other light turned green, another car honked at me as it went by. I was street harassed twice within a 15-second time frame today. It’s incredibly upsetting and unnerving.

I’m tired of feeling degraded.

– Anonymous

Location: Friendship Heights, DC

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Find suggestions for what YOU can do about this human rights issue.

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Street Harassment Snapshot: December 19, 2010

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Story Submissions Recap:

I accept street harassment submissions from anywhere in the world. Share your story!

Street Harassment in the News, on the Blogs:

Events:

  • Join RightRides in NYC on Jan 4th @ Union Square 2-5 p.m. to pass out information on keeping mass transit safe for women & LGBTQ folks! http://tinyurl.com/NYFSTOutreach

Announcements:

New:

  • Here are ideas for end-of-year-giving to organizations that work to make public places safer for women and girls, and you can also find a few gift ideas for people who care about ending street harassment

On-going:

Tweets from the Week:

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“When you talk about women like that in front of me, you are insulting me”

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Years ago, in my hometown of Buffalo, NY, I was waiting at the bus stop where two guys were making misogynistic comments about women, talking about who they could “fuck” while calling them “hoes,” “bitches,” and whatever nasty thing could come out of their mouths. At first I chose to quietly walk a few paces away from them so I wouldn’t have to be subjected to that, but when they said, “Bitch, we ain’t talkin’ about you!” I had to say something.

“When you talk about women like that in front of me, you ARE insulting ME and I don’t want to hear it,” I said.

“Shut up, bitch!” the ringleader responded.

“Man, you are ignorant and uneducated,” I said.

“I’m not uneducated…I got my college degree!” the one guy said.

“So?” I responded. “I have one and so do many other people. It doesn’t make you special.”

This guy got so angry and embarrassed at being called “uneducated,” as well as being pointed at and laughed at by his friend for being “dissed” by me, that he got quiet. He looked like he was going to cry!

“She called me ‘uneducated’!” he whined quietly.

The bus finally came and we all boarded, the guy with his head hanging down in defeat and me feeling good for standing up for myself and other women. Serves him right and I’m sure he knows better than to call women “bitches” and “hoes” like that now.

– D

Location: Bus stop at Grant Street & West Ferry Street, Buffalo, NY

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Find suggestions for what YOU can do about this human rights issue.

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