TonioTimeDaily

"You should be able to feel comfortable and safe in public spaces without the fear of being harassed. Like other forms of sexual harassment and assault, street harassment is about power and intimidation.

What is street harassment?

Street harassment includes unwanted comments, gestures, or acts directed at someone in a public space without their consent.

Street harassment includes some of the following unwanted behaviors:

• Comments, requests, and demands
• Commenting on physical appearance, such as someone’s body or the clothing they’re wearing
• Continuing to talk to someone after they have asked to be left alone
• Flashing
• Following or stalking
• Groping
• Intentionally invading personal space or blocking the way
• Persistent requests for someone’s name, number, or other information
• Public masturbation or touching
• Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic slurs, or any comments insulting or demeaning an aspect of someone’s identity
• Showing pornagraphic images without someone’s consent
• Staring
• Taking a photo of someone without their consent
• Telling someone to smile
• Up-skirting, which is taking a photo up a skirt or dress without that person’s permission
• Using a mirror to look up someone’s skirt or dress without their permission
• Whistling

Who does street harassment affect?

Though street harassment can happen to anyone—regardless of gender, age, or any other aspect of your identity—it is often directed at individuals because of their actual or perceived gender expression, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, or disability. No form of harassment is OK; and it is never a compliment. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and to feel safe in public spaces.

What are some of the effects of street harassment?

Street harassment has negative effects both on those who experience it and for communities as a whole. Being harassed in a public space can make you worried about your physical safety and creates an environment of fear and intimidation.

It rarely happens just once. For those who experience street harassment, it is often not an isolated incident, but something that happens over and over again. The cumulative effect of these types of comments and behaviors can cause the person being harassed to feel a heightened sense of anxiety, or to be “on edge” at all times.

It hurts communities. People are less likely to engage with strangers and participate in their communities if they fear being harassed.

It is a human rights’ issue. It limits individuals’ ability to be in public. Someone may avoid leaving their home, work, or school for fear of being harassed, limiting their access to opportunities and community.

It has financial effects. Many people who have experienced street harassment may feel unsafe walking home, going out after dark, or taking public transportation alone. Because of this fear, many people are forced to spend money on private transportation, such as ride apps, when they would otherwise take public transportation or walk. For those who cannot afford these options, fear of street harassment can severely limit when and where they can go out in public, which also limits access to employment and education."

--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/antonio-myers4/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/antonio-myers4/support