Bed-Stuy Organizers Kick Off Anti-Street Harassment Week

[geek tragedy]

BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — On a recent morning, on her way to work in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Marly Pierre-Louis was approached and followed by two separate cars.

The occupants didn't explicitly threaten her, or get out of the car to attack her, she said. Instead, they offered unsolicited critiques of her appearance as she attempted to ignore them.

"Hey, you're pretty. Why aren't you talking to me? Why are you ignoring me?," Pierre-Louis recounted.

"They think it's all good and it's fun," Pierre-Louis said. "But you as a woman, who are smaller and more likely to be attacked, you think, what are these people going to do to me?"

http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130407/bedford-stuyvesant/bed-stuy-organizers-kick-off-anti-street-harassment-week

What are they doing about it?

Pierre-Louis and her coworker Anthonine Pierre said that criminalizing street harassment is not necessarily the answer. Instead, they're hoping they can change the culture around street harassment.

"There are a lot of issues wrapped up in street harassment— power, over-sexualization of women," Pierre said. "We live in a culture that is male dominated, and I think a lot of men can feel that because they have more 'power,' they feel like it's OK to overstep boundaries."

Part of what the group hopes to do going forward is engage "male allies" to help spread awareness of the issue and combat the problem. There are also steps urban planners can take to address the issue, like making sure areas are well-lit and making sure there are as few blind spots as possible, Pierre-Louis said.

Seems like a pretty simple rule--if you don't know a woman, you don't make references to her personal appearance or engage in sexual innuendoes. Not followed often enough.

[MineralMan]

1. Bear Spray - The one with the long-distance nozzle.

That'll do it.

[geek tragedy]

2. I believe that would be illegal.

Not undeserved, but illegal.

[MineralMan]

3. I suppose you're right.

More's the pity, though.

[MadrasT]

4. Thanks for posting this.

This nonprofit seems to do good work regarding street harassment: http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/

Catcalls, sexually explicit comments, sexist remarks, groping, leering, stalking, public masturbation, and assault. Most women (more than 80% worldwide) and LGBQT folks will face gender-based street harassment at some point in their life. Street harassment limits people's mobility and access to public spaces. It is a form of gender violence and it's a human rights violation. It needs to stop.

It seems like quite a lot of men I speak with have *no* idea about the kind of unpleasantness women have to deal with in public places.

Hollaback Philly is doing some good work too, we have ads now on our transit system: http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/2013/04/septaads/

[geek tragedy]

5. They're particularly bold if they're in a vehicle.

This isn't confined to certain neighborhoods--any woman jogging anywhere is likely to get such comments.

[redqueen]

6. Education is the key.

Love this.

"There are a lot of issues wrapped up in street harassment— power, over-sexualization of women," Pierre said. "We live in a culture that is male dominated, and I think a lot of men can feel that because they have more 'power,' they feel like it's OK to overstep boundaries."

She names some of the reasons for this, which is important. Sadly some of these terms (*ahem*) are gonna go right over many heads. Not sure if its genuine or feigned ignorance, either way we just need to keep educating.

Part of what the group hopes to do going forward is engage "male allies" to help spread awareness of the issue and combat the problem.

Hell yes.

[geek tragedy]

7. I guess this is just another

one of those 'first-world' problems.

The men who do this crap as a rule have been raised to disprespect women.

[redqueen]

8. I wish more people could see how intertwined all this stuff is. nt

[geek tragedy]

9. People are generally unwilling to look past the point that

requires them to re-examine their own beliefs or behavior.