emmelinemay | Street Harrasment

Thanks to

littleangel_103, who has brought my attention to this site, which, while being one of those horrible little frame set websites, seems to be about the exact same thing that's been getting me in a right rage lately - 'casual' street harassment.

Particularly interesting are the stories from women who have experienced it - it's the same story pretty much over and over.

It seems that somehow, a large proportion those of you with a Y chromosome seem to feel it's ok to shout and leer and approach women in the street. Well, IT'S NOT. And I'm not going to go on a big rant about why, as I've already done that once recently. As the week has gone on since I wrote that, I'm increasingly coming to the opinion that it doesn't actually matter why it is unacceptable and just plain wrong - what matters is that it is unacceptable and just plain wrong.

As

bluekieran pointed out, the only way THEY (being, you know, society at large) are going to become aware of it is if it's on the front pages of the Sun (and its ilk), or covered as a storyline in a soap, or picked up by some celebrities. Of course, celebrities should know all about being hassled - but that's taken as part of the job description really. Who on earth could be a spokesperson for 'casual street harassment'?

There areone or two articles linked from the site about this issue, including this New Statesmen one.

So. Street Harassment. Is it just a 'fact of life'? 'boys will be boys'? Should women 'take it as a compliment?'

Or is it a serious indicator of how women are still viewed in society?

I've never been very interested in feminism before, or campaigning for anything really. I've got on with what I believe in in my own way, volunteering with kids, becoming vegan, trying to buy ethically. Little drops in the ocean. But this has really got me wound up, and the more I dig, the more wound up I get. I can't tackle this one in a little private way, I'll probably end either in a ditch having been attacked by a bloke I've retaliated to, or in jail, having been arrested for thumping a bloke I've retaliated to.

If more people were aware, and could accept that this is actually a very serious issue, would it make a difference? Would the 'good' Y chromosome owners take more care in how they approach women?? Would the public, witnessing a woman being the victim of street harassment, be more inclined to come to her support if the message were one of 'this is rude and ill mannered behaviour' rather than 'she's wearing a skirt, she asked for it'?

Harassment in the work place is increasingly recognised and legislated against, with high profile cases in the news on a regular basis. What about harassment, in public, by strangers? Is that somehow less hurtful, less affecting, less important than harassment in the workplace?

Why, with the enormous amount of (albeit anecdotal; and we already know that anecdote =/= singular of data) evidence out there that this is a huge, and totally endemic, problem with society, is it not MORE IMPORTANT?

Answers on a postcard.

If i start wearing dungarees, stop washing, and start singing protest songs in parks, someone please kill me. Especially if i start talking about burning my bra.

Threaded | Flat

anger is an energy - wrote the prophet john lydon. Use it and bring it to the worls attention and make it wrong. one person can make a difference

Trust me dungarees, smelliness and bra burning are not a prerequisite to feminism. Feminism is about realising women are treated differently and less well than men and wanting to do something about it.

Sorry to align a very important issue to a cheesy soap, but I was absolutley outraged when watching hollyoaks at the weekend, that when a girl went on a bad date with the football obsessed liverpudlian bloke, and when she left he called her a lesbian, basically because she doesn't fancy him. I think its crazy that a soap should make it seem as though this sort of language is acceptable. And I think it does stem from the same sort of culture that makes the sort of thing you're talking about be treated so casually.

Feminism is a good thing. Dungaree wearing not compulsorary. :-)

I've always thought of you a feminist, even if you've never really been interested in it. Your world view seems sufficiently well aligned to mine that I think you have feminist sympathies.

(Sorry if you view that comment as an insult!)

I've just spent quite a bit of time reading the stories section and I feel sick in my guts. I find I get harrassed much less frequently since I moved to London, but it reminded me of what a living hell being out in public has been since I turned 14. I have been consistently whistled at, followed by men in cars, had my butt grabbed twice, my crotch once, inner thigh once, stalked,offered cash for sex on the street, called every name in the book for refusing, chased, and the inane, rude and threatening comments are countless. I've felt like my personal safety and freedom got taken away. I've responded in different ways to the touchers- I've punched, smacked, pushed and even grabbed a guy by the throat once. I don't want to be violent, but I respect myself and I can't even describe how horrible I've felt when I had to let someone get away with doing something like that to me. I told a cop I used to know about the stalker, and he was arrested eventually. He had prior stalking convictions. For awhile I carried a knife, I had a hammer under my car seat, I used to wear a walkman all the time to help me block them out. I stopped dressing up wearing stilletos years ago 'cause I can't run or fight in them. I actually feel a need to say that I was more attractive when I was younger- tall, natural blonde, decent figure, etc., but my appearance isn't really the issue and nor is my clothing. The issue is this is socially acceptable sexual harrassment and it's not our fault- why is it we seem to have no protection? Why doesn't that guy's mate sort him out? Is silence compliance?
Oh yes, this IS a serious problem for women. There doesn't seem to be a solution.

P.S.-
Soz- took me so long to write the above I see that I am slightly off topic now!
Boy am I wound up.

There is a difference between free speech and harrassment, and this is what needs to be LEGISLATED (yes, quote me). I would love to see some polls/figures on the number of women who remain indoors, take the long way, are forced to get cabs, etc because of fear of harrassment.

And the good Y chromosome owners don't even realise how often it happens. I remember waiting to get on the tube with a co-worker (male - responsible Y-chromosome owner) and as one bloke got off and I got on, he stared straight at my tits for an obvious duration. My co-worker said "OMG did you see that? That bloke just stared straight at your tits!" - to which I replied "Yeah, happens all the time..." - Co-worker couldn't quite believe it.

Okay it's a completely minor thing compared to some of what you guys describe - but it was just interesting my co-worker had no idea that "most blokes" were like that. Personally I think the poor love was just sheltered ;p

I do not get this kind of attention, I get very polite approaches from be-suited men. Normally very nice about polite decline-ation (what is the word I am looking for?)

I wonder if this is because I do not conform to the "accepted" female form?

This is a tough one, because the last thing I am trying to suggest is that you get the attention for conforming (in whatever way) - that is not what I mean, and does not make it any more acceptable. It is never acceptable in any shape or form.

We should start a service which gets big strong homosexual men, who can look after themselves in a fight, to stalk men who harass you girls.

The gay men can make suggestive comments and grab the harassers' arses, or leer at their crotches, or stand much too close to them on the bus.
I'll film it. We'll make a site.

Added you; don't particularly mind whether you add me back at this point, I just think you write interesting posts.

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