Stop Street Harassment: On the Road

Around 80 percent of women around the world face unwanted sexual harassment in public places from men they do not know, particularly when they are alone and when they are young. In an informal survey I conducted of more than 800 women from around the world, nearly 90 percent had experienced street harassment by age 19 and 22 percent by age 12.

This gender-based street harassment — commonly stereotyped as “hey baby” comments and whistles — is portrayed in the media and by many people as a compliment, a joke, a minor annoyance, or something that women deserve because of the clothes they wear or the time of day or night they walk in public. The reality is that street harassment encompasses a range of behaviors including whistling, sexist or sexually explicit comments, vulgar gestures, stalking, groping, and even sexual assault. It’s bullying and disrespectful, and it prevents women from having equal access to public spaces. The way this problem is ignored by society means that harassers are off the hook and that most women don’t talk about it, but instead silently try to adapt their lives to avoid it.

Making public places safe and welcoming for women and girls is my passion. This past month, I’ve had the opportunity to use that passion in discussions with AAUW branches and campuses across California and in Alaska and Iowa.

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.

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 women’s fault), and spoke about the negative impact it has on women’s lives. The second half of my talks focused on what we can do about the problem, including responding to or reporting harassers and being good bystanders to help women we see facing harassment. We can also mentor young women and men on these issues and join or start anti-street harassment initiatives and campaigns.

AAUW members attended my campus talks at Santa Clara University; the University of California, Santa Barbara; the University of Alaska, Anchorage; and the University of Iowa. I also had the opportunity to meet specifically with AAUW members in San Jose, Stockton, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Anchorage, and Iowa City.

AAUW members were very engaged in the discussions, shared their own stories, and discovered how street harassment and an underlying fear of rape limits their comfort in public. They also brainstormed about how to help young women in their families and communities who currently face this problem.

I was pleased to have the opportunity to meet so many wonderful and welcoming AAUW women! And I was invigorated by their interest in this topic and appreciative of their support. To make progress to end street harassment we need people across the country from all backgrounds and all age groups to acknowledge street harassment as a problem and take action in their own communities.