Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

“Please pull that dress down!”

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I was walking down the street with my mom, and I was wearing a pretty dress because I was going to the theater. A man drove by in a car and hollered, “Please pull that dress down!”

I was 15 at the time.

– Anonymous

This post is part of a back-to-school series to highlight the young age that street harassment begins. The stories in this series were shared as part of our recent survey on street harassment and age and they entail people’s first experience of street harassment. The full list of stories is available here.

As you read the stories, note that among respondents, 70% said they were 13 years old or younger at the time of their first experience. 24% said they were 14 to 16 years old. The remaining 6% were older than 16.

Need support?
Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

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“Hey babe, come and join me in my bed tonight”

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Via Hollaback! Bahamas

I’ve been sexually harassed three times in the past month, just on the street. Honestly, I don’t even know if it’s sexual harassment or not, but it makes me feel really intimated and scared to walk on streets even just to go to the shop.

I’m only 15 years old, so for this to be happening to someone at such a young age, really shocks me.

The first time it happened was when I was going to meet a friend. I dressed up nicely, in large trousers and a top, put on light makeup. This was around 1 p.m. when it happened. I was walking around the corner of the road I lived on and this boy, maybe three years older than me, said, “Oi babe, you’re so peng.” And walks off.

The next time it happened was when I was taking my mum’s washing to dry at the laundrette. I had no makeup on, and I wasn’t wearing anything special, yet while I was walking past a group of boys, maybe again three years older than me, they stopped me and one guy said, “Please can I see your panties?” Then when I walked off, they started wolf whistling and then said, “Oh, you play hard to get”.

The third time happened when I was in my school uniform. I was walking past a guy, maybe of around 40 years of age, and said, “Hey babe, come and join me in my bed tonight.” I wanted to cry.

The fact that I can’t even feel safe in my own area, let alone somewhere else, and to be able to walk freely at such a young age disgusts me.

– Anonymous

Location: London

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

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“I do remember them laughing as they saw the fear on my face”

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I was eleven the first time I was harassed. Some guys in their twenties yelled at me as they drove by. I don’t remember the encounter very well, but I do remember them laughing as they saw the fear on my face. One of the the scariest moments of my life happened more recently. I was walking down a deserted street when several drunk guys screamed, “Hey baby! You want dick?” out of the window of their pickup. There was absolutely no one else around. I was scared out of my mind- I honestly thought I was going to raped, or worse.

This moment that those guys probably forgot about minutes later traumatized me. I didn’t tell anyone about it for a long time because I was afraid they would think I was ridiculous for being scared. How messed up is our world that I can be harassed and traumatized like that and then be scared to talk about it?

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

Encourage everyone, but especially men, to speak up and intervene when they see a women being harassed. Screw politeness!

– KR

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

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“You’ve got nice legs but your nose is too big”

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I was 12 years old. I was walking along a busy street with my mother. A man leaned out of a car and shouted, “You’ve got nice legs but your nose is too big”. It made me feel scared and ashamed, and suddenly conscious of my appearance.

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

Educate everyone about equality, and how harassment affects people. Make misogyny a hate crime.

– Anonymous

Location: London, UK

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

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“It didn’t stop until I left the country”

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The street harassment went on practically everyday when I was 12-14. Every time I walked to and from school I was leered at, and often men three times my age winked or remarked at me. I was never touched, thank god (though I have been before, just not on the street). I remember walking by a man and I had an over-sized jacket on, looking like a mess, yet he still felt the need to go, “Oh my god…”. I never replied. I was taught not to, though I often scratched my face with my rude finger. It didn’t stop until I left the country.

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

TEACH PEOPLE THAT IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO STREET HARASS. If you’re a victim, there is nothing you can do. It’s too threatening. The only people who can make things somewhere safer are the ones doing the endangering in the first place.

– Anonymous

Location: Lebanon

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

Share