In chapter 4 of my book, i look at how street harassment can vary by country and region depending on factors like, laws, culture, and peace vs wartime. Three percent under age of 40 reported finding street harassment flattering. Jul 29, 2014 so saying street harassment is not a big deal is opening up the doorway for men to view women as an object to be obtained. Growing activism around the world should be read by feminist leaders far and wide. Street harassment is generally dismissed as harmless, but in.
The following is a list of suggestions for what we especially men can do to help stop street harassment in the long term. Stop street harassment published a study in 2014 where a number of interesting statistics were listed based on a us nationwide survey. Growing activism around the world praeger, 2015 available. Apr 18, 2011 as the opening stories illustrate, street harassment usually begins when women are young. Holly has authored three books, four national studies and over 90 published articles. What men can do to stop street harassment everyday feminism. One womans wish list against street harassment the new. Stop global street harassment and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. New yorkbased artist tatyana fazlalizadeh created a street art project to confront street harassment.
A recent survey found that 65 percent of women in the u. Holly kearl street harassment is generally dismissed as harmless, but in reality. From catcalls, unsolicited comments, jeering, groping, public indecency and when women object to such degrading treatment, theyre often accused of not accepting a compliment, or having a sense of humour failure. Nov 04, 2014 the nonprofit organisation stop street harassment has a host of suggestions for responding to street harassers, including the recommendation to name the behaviour and describe the harasser man. Feb 28, 2014 its a myth that street harassment is just a bit of harmless fun. I found the term on the website of the street harassment project founded in the early internet days of 1999. Apr 06, 2016 to battle street harassment, japanese women travel in groups, carry buzzers to deter harassers or take selfdefense classes. Thanks for joining international anti street harassment week in april 2019. Ssh is a nonprofit organization dedicated to documenting and ending genderbased street harassment worldwide through public education and community mobilization. Why we need to take street harassment seriously the. And since men are the primary perpetrators of street harassment, men bear the responsibility for ending it. Stop telling women to smile is a street art project that addresses gender based street harassment. Stop telling women to smile artist creates series on street.
So saying street harassment is not a big deal is opening up the doorway for men to view women as an object to be obtained. Oct 31, 2014 street harassment law would restrict intimidating behavior laura beth nielsen is a professor of sociology and the director of the center for legal studies at northwestern university. Fight street harassment with training, awareness and legal. Street harassment is a form of harassment, primarily sexual harassment that consists of unwanted comments, gestures, honking, wolfwhistlings, catcalling, exposure, following, persistent sexual advances, and touching by strangers in public areas such as streets, shopping malls, and public transportation. Holly kearl is the founder of stop street harassment and the author of stop street harassment. May 24, 2012 in cities across the world, women from all walks of life and of all ages are faced with street harassment. Contact holly to request her to speak at your campus, library, school, bookstore, or community event. Check out exerpts from our west coast friend loolwa khazzooms book, consequence, where she valiantly fights the fight to free our streets. As the opening stories illustrate, street harassment usually begins when women are young. Stop street harassment ssh is a nonprofit organization dedicated to documenting and ending genderbased street harassment worldwide.
We believe that street harassment impedes gender equality and must be taken seriously. Its a myth that street harassment is just a bit of harmless fun. Street harassment occurs in all parts of the world, is known by many names, and is often excused as a cultural practice. Street harassment, sexual violence, sexual harassment, genderbased violence and racism, are all acts committed by a person who in fact has no self respect. Street harassment in minneapolis is making headlines these days, and not in a good way. So with that in mind, here are a few things men can do to stop street harassment. Oct 31, 2014 holly kearl is the founder of stop street harassment and the author of stop street harassment. Making public places safe and welcoming for women draws on academic studies, informal surveys, news articles, and interviews with activists to explore the practices definition and prevalence, the societal contexts in which it occurs, and the role of factors such as race and sexual orientation. Turning an infamously sexist city into a safe place for women. Confronting the everyday power of street harassment. Stop telling women to smile book tatyana fazlalizadeh. Using groundbreaking studies, news stories, and interviews, this book underscores that there will never be gender equity until men stop harassing women in. Street harassment has been part of my existence since i was a young teenager, but it wasnt until i was in graduate school in 2006 that i even learned the term street harassment. Of the more than 800 women i surveyed in 2008 for a book.
Purchase them from or request them for your local library. Furthermore, wrote kearl, street harassment reminds women that because they are female. This book takes a thorough look at how diverse women experience street harassment based on their varying identities. I briefly mention afghanistan and how street harassment is exacerbated by the fact that across most of the country, women are not supposed to be in public unaccompanied by men and or unveiled. Street harassment law would restrict intimidating behavior.
She the founder of stop street harassment, an author, a consultant and a. Using groundbreaking studies, news stories, and interviews, this book underscores that there will never be gender equity until men stop harassing women in public spacesand it details strategies for achieving this goal. A street art project addressing gender based street harassment. Holly kearl, is the author of a book on the subject stop street harassment.
Street harassment shouldnt be a crime the daily beast. Through my book and community and campus talks, i am working to end the silence, raise awareness, and offer solutions for creating social change to end street harassment. Oct 31, 2014 if street harassment feels like a new phenomenon, its only because its relatively recently that lots of women are just out there on the street, commuting to work in public, walking alone. Street harassment law would restrict intimidating behavior laura beth nielsen is a professor of sociology and the director of the center for legal studies at northwestern university. Stop street harassment is dedicated to ending genderbased street harassment worldwide. It affects women of all classes and ethnicities, in rural and urban areas. Out of the heightened media attention to the issue of street harassment last fall following the 10 hours of walking in nyc as a woman video, i. Stop street harassment founder holly kearl is the author of three of the few books that focus on street harassment. I wish i could walk down the street without getting angry.
Sep 28, 2015 while many people, even women, describe street harassment as flattering, it is a negative and costly phenomenon and part of a broader tolerance for a spectrum of genderbased violence. While many people, even women, describe street harassment as flattering, it is a negative and costly phenomenon and part of a broader tolerance for a spectrum of genderbased violence. Its about about power and control and can so easily turn to violence, laura bates. To battle street harassment, japanese women travel in groups, carry buzzers to deter harassers or take selfdefense classes. Oct 28, 2010 through my book and community and campus talks, i am working to end the silence, raise awareness, and offer solutions for creating social change to end street harassment. It started as a blog in 2008 and became incorporated as a 501c3 in 2012. Of the more than 800 women i surveyed in 2008 for a book about street harassment, 22 percent said they. Seven stories of ways to stop street harassment bitch media. Stop street harassment released this national report discussing research into the prevalence and experience of street harassment by both women and men. Academic studies conducted in indianapolis early 1990s and california bay area late 1990s. Aug 03, 2010 stop street harassment is an excellent, wellresearched, look into an ageold problem that everyone experiences but no one talks about. Out of the heightened media attention to the issue of street harassment last fall following the 10 hours of walking in nyc as a woman video, i signed a contract for a. Street harassment is a worldwide problem that may be worse and is certainly more threatening in other cities. Perhaps because it is so ubiquitous, we do not think about it consciously.
Prevalence of street harassment and its consequences. The majority of women experience street harassment. Street harassment acts as a gateway crime, opening the door for perpetrators to move toward more serious expressions of violence, wrote hollaback founder and executive director emily may and activist oraia reid in the introduction to kearls book. This book details how a growing number of individuals. Stop telling women to smile artist creates series on street harassment. One in 10 riders have experienced physically aggressive sexual harassment, like groping, stalking, exposure, etc. Apr 14, 2017 street harassment shouldnt be a crime. Antistreet harassment project metro transit customers deserve a safe and comfortable ride without fear of harassment or assault. Making public places safe and welcoming for women 97803384967. Dont make eye contact, and youll get through it, i say to myself each morning as i walk the. Some of the reasons why street harassment occurs is a societal disrespect for women and because men are trying to prove their masculinity through aggression and sexual comments or acts. In cities across the world, women from all walks of life and of all ages are faced with street harassment. Street harassment statistics the ilr school cornell. She the founder of stop street harassment, an author, a consultant and a nonprofit professional.
The book addresses specific and prominent incidents of street harassment such as the mass sexual assaults of women at tahrir square in cairo, egypt. The term machismo is perhaps misleading as a culturally specific term that confines inequality to the region of latin america. The project consists of a series of portraits of women women who i have sat talked with about their experiences with harassment. A few weeks ago a project named cards against harassment went viral. Holly kearl has written an easytoread, engaging book about street harassment and. Street harassment is generally dismissed as harmless, but in reality, it causes women to feel unsafe in public, at least sometimes. Holly kearl is an expert on the global problem of sexual harassment in public spaces, or street harassment. Stop street harassment is an excellent, wellresearched, look into an ageold problem that everyone experiences but no one talks about. If street harassment feels like a new phenomenon, its only because its relatively recently that lots of women are just out there on the street, commuting to work in public, walking alone. Granzos experience with street harassment, and hear her tell it, below.
Stop street harassment 1 a national street harassment report about stop street harassment stop street harassment ssh commissioned this study. Jul 31, 2017 street harassment is a common experience for women in philadelphia just trying to commute to work or walk to school or run back home. The nonprofit organisation stop street harassment has a host of suggestions for responding to street harassers, including the recommendation to name the behaviour and describe the harasser man. Stop telling women how to feel about street harassment life. Responding when youre street harassed the truth is, there is no right or wrong way to respond to street harassment, because it isnt your fault. I wish i didnt purposefully have to make myself look unattractive to avoid calling attention to myself.
Mar 15, 2017 living with italian street harassment. Community studies in pakistan 2005, yemen 2009, and india 2009. Street harassment is a human rights issue because it limits a harassed persons ability to be in public, especially womens. Stop street harassment ssh is a nonprofit organization dedicated to documenting and ending gender. These texts are not edited but we do use some discretion when choosing stories to post.
More than half 57% of all women had experienced verbal harassment, and 41% experienced physically. Stop street harassment by holly kearl praeger abcclio. During my recent talks, i educated attendees about the prevalence and global scope of the problem, discussed why it is a human rights issue and not a compliment or womens. Learn how widespread this problem is and about possible solutions.