Fiat Super Bowl Ad Stereotypes Women of Color
So the latest Super Bowl controversy, aside from rapper MIA flipping the bird during her performance with Madonna, is the Fiat Car commercial starring Romanian model Catrinel Menghia. Despite Fiat revealing today that the commercial achieved the highest cumulative increase in car model page traffic, we would like to pop that balloon by cataloguing several reasons why we just plain don’t like it.
Apart from objectifying females and condoning street harassment the advert plays with some very dangerous race and gender stereotyping. The commercial portrays a seemingly dumb white guy, ogling the classically hyper-sexualized woman of color. She is seen as provocative, voiceless and tattoed, a stereotype that we should be rejecting, not reinforcing. Check it out for yourself.
Published on February 6, 2012 at 5:16 pm
no commentsFilmmaker Tiye Rose Hood Drives Social Change and Randomly Bakes
BY VICTORIA TRAVERS
In the past year, Filmmaker and Academy of Art University student, Tiye Rose Hood, has created and released two compelling films. “Objectified” focuses on street harassment, and the latest “Jenella” published in January, explores the blame culture and the issue of silence associated with sexual assault. The inspiration for all of Tiye’s documentaries comes from what she describes as a deep-rooted “interest in work that inspires understanding and social change,” as well as a passion for film and digital cinematography.
Produced in 2011, street harassment documentary “Objectified” debuted on Vimeo in June of last year and was nominated for Best Documentary in Academy of Art’s 2011 Epidemic Film Festival. Being nominated for the award was’ a wonderful feeling’ but Tiye admits that the driving force behind its production was not a quest for critical acclaim. Tiye was inspired by her own experiences of street harassment and the stories that others had shared with her:
“It is often quite irritating to hear honks, whistles, and obscenities when all you want to do is go home after a really long day at work or school, and that’s something we all agreed on. My roommates and I all ride the bus and walk, so we encounter our share of rude and unwanted attention. And pretty much all of the attention occurs (seemingly) without a catalyst.”
As a young woman that spends her life moving through public spaces, Tiye, recognizes the importance of the movement against street harassment:
“I think the movement against it is important, and that ultimately everyone should be able to feel safe and comfortable no matter what they happen to have on.”
With social injustice and the idea of sharing stories still fresh in Tiye’s mind she embarked upon “Jenella”, which originally began as an assignment for a documentary class. However, in the middle of the semester the focus shifted:
“I met Jenella through one of my roommates, who told me a little bit about what happened to her. I knew her story had to be told in some manner. Jenella is the strongest individual I have met to date.”
Originally, the documentary was intended to be about rape crisis counselors, featuring footage from last year’s high profile Slutwalks rather than “one women’s struggle.” But Tiye felt that Jenella’s story was one that had to be told and focused upon:
“I met Jenella through one of my roommates, who told me a little bit about what happened to her. After I met her and started to learn more about her, I knew her story had to be told in some manner. I also met Chimine Arfuso, a speaker, philanthropist, and the creator of Create Social Change. Chimine shared her experiences and the methods she used to cope with them. Jenella and Chimine are the strongest individuals I have met to date.”
The beauty of Tiye’s work is her recognition of the power of story telling, the idea that if we share our stories, we gather strength, momentum and knowledge to make a change and raise awareness. “Jenella” rejects the concept of sweeping incidents under the carpet and tackles the “blame culture” where survivors are questioned as to why they made decisions that could have possibly led to their attack.
Born in the Los Angeles area, Tiye grew up in Pasadena and Altadena and went to school in Pasadena. She loves to randomly bake and admits that she has “fallen deeply in love with the painstaking process of using lights, the sun, and a light meter to create and manipulate the visual aesthetics and get the desired results,” and looks forward to soon be working with 35mm film.
Tiye is inspired by several different directors, cinematographers and musicians including: Paul Thomas Anderson, Spike Jonze, Stanley Kubrick, Emmanuel Lubezki, Joanna Newsom, Bradford Cox. But high profile role models aside, the aspiring director is most motivated by her friends whom she describes as:
“Strong, fearless, passionate and very highly involved in equal rights movements.”
When asked about the future, the Best Documentary in Academy of Art’s 2011 nominee quite modestly reveals that she does not know. However, what she does know is that she really wants “to learn, enjoy life, enjoy the ups and downs of film-making and graduate!” And we at Hollaback! say good luck to you Tiye and keep driving social change and being generally awesome!
Published on February 6, 2012 at 4:34 pm
no commentsA Week in Our Shoes: 2/3/2012
BY EMILY MAY
Hello Hollaback supporters and revolutionaries!
Take a look at this week ‘s HOLLAnews and updates with February’s first installment:
-Mumbai in Town! This week we met up with Aisha from Hollaback! Mumbai who has been super busy heading up the revolution in Bombay. Hollaback! Mumbai, in collaboration with the families of murdered Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez, are responsible for change.org petition: Demand Justice for Two Men Killed Trying to Stop Street Harassment, which demands justice for the brutal murders of two bright, brave young men and calls for recognition of the prevalence of street harassment in Mumbai and across India. Also, check out Hollaback! Mumbai’s awesome press coverage in online news publication Hindustan Times.
-In the Press: I was interviewed for online fashion market place, I-ELLA.com. We also got a shout out from the Pixel Project, a non-profit organization that works to end violence against women (VAW) by delivering innovative, powerful viral campaigns across various online and virtual channels including social media. Our lead developer, Jill Dimond, was also featured on mobile app blog, Fueled.com.
-Meetings and Partnerships: We met with the Caruso Foundation and the Transit Workers Union to talk about future collaborative works to stamp out street harassment once and for all!
Thanks Hollaback! supporters for another fantastic week of fighting street harassment and keeping the revolution alive!
HOLLA and out!
Emily
Published on February 3, 2012 at 6:46 pm
no commentsTell WMATA Public Street Harassment is a Problem!
Collective Action for Safe Spaces/Holla Back DC! are joining forces for a public performance oversight hearing of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) held by the Council of the District of Columbia. Check out this blog piece that is cross posted from Collective Action for Safe Spaces.
Sexual comments, leering, groping and public masturbation: sexual harassment happens a lot on public transportation in Washington, DC. Collective Action for Safe Spaces/Holla Back DC! has beentracking and speaking out on this issue for three years. Now we’re doing something more – testifying. And we need your help.
We need people to testify with us about the issue of sexual harassment on public transportation during the late afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 22, for a public performance oversight hearing of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) held by the Council of the District of Columbia.
We are looking for people:
1) Willing to share a story or stories about sexual harassment on metro trains and buses,
2) Who can talk about sexual harassment they’ve witnessed,
3) Who can be part of the audience to help fill the room.
Testimonies are only 3 minutes long (about a page and a half). If you want to learn more about writing and presenting compelling testimony or want feedback on a draft, we will hold an optional training on Saturday, Feb. 18, 1-3 p.m. at the Southeast Library (across the from Eastern Market metro station). Susie Cambria will lead the training.
If you’re interested in providing testimony or helping to fill the room, please contact info@collectiveactiondc.org by February 17.
If we have enough people testifying, possible outcomes could be:
Council Member Muriel Bowser (who is overseeing the hearing and is from Ward 4) will be aware of the issue and could even propose legislation to help prevent sexual harassment on Metro.
Council Member Bowser could question the Director of Metro to find out why our concerns have not been addressed.
The Director of Metro could be more likely to address our concerns and take actions we recommend such as providing training for employees.
Published on February 3, 2012 at 12:59 pm
no commentsKnockout Barstool Takes on Blackout Tour
BY CATHERINE FAVORITE
You probably don’t frequent women-hating websites all that often. Luckily, you have others to do the dirty work for you! A blog aimed at college-aged men called Barstool Sports, showcases a slew of dehumanizing attitudes toward women while disguising itself an entertainment website: “By the common man, for the common man”. By portraying their degrading attitudes toward women as some sort of normal, socially acceptable viewpoint to hold, they participate in the continuation of women being treated as nothing more than objects to be rated by their appearance alone. This winter, the group has been hosting a “Blackout Party” tour near college campuses throughout the East coast and the Midwest.
Just a few of the shining comments to come from Barstool Sports’ site:
PS – Just to make friends with the feminists I’d like to reiterate that we don’t condone rape of any kind at our Blackout Parties in mid-January. However if a chick passes out that’s a grey area though.
Even though I never condone rape, if you’re a size 6 and you’re wearing skinny jeans you kind of deserve to be raped right? I mean skinny jeans don’t look good on size 0 and 2 chicks, nevermind size 6’s.
Thankfully, there is a new group in town called Knockout Barstool. We applaud a letter they wrote earlier this week, taking down the rape-culture promoting blog and “Blackout Party” tour. There is a big difference between allowing free speech on college campuses and turning the other ear to the hate speech of an organization. Today, Barstool’s “Blackout Party” tour comes to Boston. Here at Hollaback!, we fully support Knockout Barstool’s requests that Northeastern University denounce the hate speech of Barstool Sports:
We demand Northeastern University and its administration stand for women and denounce Barstool Sports and the NU Blackout Party. These organizations do not represent the values of our community nor our institution. As President Joseph Aoun said in a recent email to the university: “While we should actively engage different opinions and points of view — and this may result in strong and intense discussions—we will not tolerate any conduct that creates a hostile or intimidating environment for members of our community.” Barstool Sports and their blackout party creates a hostile and intimidating environment for women. We must demand an equal and safe university culture.
A recent post by Barstool Sports about the work of Hollaback!’s Executive Director, Emily May revealed the tired occurrence of insulting a woman’s appearance because they took issue with what she had to say. In so doing, Barstool tried to reinforce the notion that the worst possible thing a man could say to a woman is that he does not want to sleep with her, rather than choosing to have a civil conversation with her.
Thank you, Barstool Sports, for providing us with such an apt example of why we must continue working.
–You might notice we did not link to Barstool Sports’s website, as we do not wish to give them the satisfaction of more site hits. Please enjoy the following screen shots instead (misspelling of “harrassment” included).
Published on February 2, 2012 at 5:06 pm
one commentWorth Checking Out – The Arkh Project
REPOSTED FROM HOLLABACK HOUSTON
Co-director Ricki here… I stumbled across The Arkh Project yesterday while bumbling around on the net, and thought it would be and thought it would be worth checking out and supporting.
The Arkh Project is a project to create a 3D RPG video game that “focuses on queer people and people of color as main characters” and is currently being developed and designed by queer folks and POC. Any money donated goes to the development of the game, as all volunteers and coordinators are donating their free time to the project. How cool!
Check it out and support if you can, you can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
Plus, if you’re into linear RPGs… it looks pretty awesome 
Published on February 2, 2012 at 2:21 pm
no commentsGawker Gets it Wrong
BY EMILY MAY AND CATHERINE FAVORITE
Today Gawker featured the story of a woman who witnessed public masturbation on the subway – and the pictures she took in response. While we are happy to see Gawker highlighting the issue of street harassment, their analysis was off. Way off.
“Obviously, there’s no proof of lewd behavior in these pictures, just one woman’s story so, who knows, this guy could be innocent [emphasis added].
What is it with the media’s insistence that women’s reports of sexual violence are untrustworthy? It’s an old myth that stands in the way of progress. The FBI says that “unfounded” rape claims stand at 8%. But that tiny little 8% gives the media enough ammo to question all reports of sexual violence. Articles like Gawker’s tend to have a silencing effect on the rest of us, which is perhaps why 75-95% of rapes go unreported, making rape the “most under-reported crime” according to the American Medical Association. But why stop at questioning the victim? Gawker also offered the victim a little advice:
Also, it’s probably wise to contact the police before reaching out to a gossip blog when a crime has occurred.
Oh, Gawker. We know you’re DC-based so let’s fill you in on how this goes down. If you tell the NYPD, they might ignore you. If they don’t, you have to sit in front of a big black book of all the sexual offenders in the subway. If you don’t get totally freaked out and run screaming, you *might* find your guy. And then what? It’s a long, painful court process. No wonder victims turn to the internet for reprieve. And no wonder we have a robust “no coulda woulda shoulda” policy. Victims of sexual violence deserve to have whatever response makes sense to them most, because after all, it wasn’t their fault.
So Gawker, next time someone shares their experience of street harassment with you, perhaps you could politely suggest that gentlemen of the world refrain from public masturbation? It seems like good advice to us.
Published on February 2, 2012 at 1:50 pm
one commentInternational Anti-Street Harassment Week, March 18-24
BY CATHERINE FAVORITE
Come “Meet Us On the Street”, for International Anti-Street Harassment week, from March 18-24, to take a stand against street harassment! Last year’s first International Anti-Street Harassment Day was so successful, with over thousands of people participating in 13 countries, that this year, the folks of Stop Street Harassment are dedicating an entire week to raising public awareness to end gender-based verbal harassment.
In speaking out against catcalls, sexist comments, public masturbation, groping, stalking, and assault, you will help to create a sustained dialogue surrounding how women, girls and the LGBTQ community must endure a level of verbal and physical street violence that continues to be an inevitable reality for far too many people. The widespread acceptance of gender and sexuality based street harassment has created a silent suffering that wrongfully places the burden of street harassment onto those receiving the harassment, leaving harassers free to continue. In the past, a casual acceptance of street harassment for LGBTQ individuals, women and girls has created a stigma of shame and silence. International Anti-Street Harassment Week is a way of countering this. By making this a part of the public discussion, we can change the culture of acceptance surrounding street harassment. No one should have to change the way they walk to school or work, or worry if their clothing might draw unwanted attention. This week is about calling for the right of everyone to be treated as equals in all shared public spaces. Just as sexual harassment is not tolerated in schools, work or at home, we should not accept it from strangers on the streets, either!
Meet Us On the Street offers many ways for how you can participate, whether by taking to the street on March 24th with your friends and community, bringing up street harassment in conversations, to tweeting about it (#NoSHWeek) and changing your Facebook photo during the third week of March. You can also organize action in your community and submit it to the map so others in your area can find out about it.
Published on February 2, 2012 at 12:25 pm
no commentsHOLLAWho? Meet Ottawa.
Meet Julie Lalonde, the eternal optimist fighting street harassment in Ottawa, Canada.
Why do you HOLLA? Because it’s what my grandmother would want me to do.
What’s your signature Hollaback? I’m sure your mother is proud!
What’s your craft? Feminist advocate.
HOLLAfact about your city: We are the home of the world’s largest skating rink! We’re also the city that fun forgot. Sadly.
What was your first experience with street harassment? When I was in middle school, my aunt surprised me with tickets to the ballet in Toronto. Being a small town kid, we decided to make it into a full on vacation. On one night, we stopped at a bank machine as we headed back to the hotel. My mom soon noticed that someone was following us.
I remember how panicked my mom and aunt were and how they quickly picked up their pace. We walked a few more blocks, trying not to look scared while the man kept following us. Finally, my mom dragged us into a local bar where she had to explain the whole situation to the bartender in order to justify having a minor with her!
Define your style: My voice is my weapon of choice.
My superheroine power is… eternal optimism.
What do you collect? Haters
Say you’re Queen for the day. What would you do to end street harassment? I’d institute mandatory community service to anyone caught street harassing and a day at the spa for every victim!
If you could leave the world one piece of advice, what would it be? Don’t be afraid to take the lead! If you see a gap, FILL IT.
What inspires you? “Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t become famous for saying ‘I have a complaint’” I read this amazing motto by eco-activist Van Jones a few years ago and I couldn’t have said it better myself. I’m continuously inspired by people who see a problem and make an attempt to fix it. There will always be cynics and haters, but how many of them come to the table with a solution?
Published on February 1, 2012 at 12:00 pm
no commentsInterview: Boston-Feminist on “Why I Punched a Stranger”
BY CATHERINE FAVORITE
A few weeks ago, a blogger out of Boston penned a thought provoking piece on a particular encounter she had with a street harasser in Allston, Massachusetts. Titled, “Why I Punched a Stranger”, Allison’s story raises many points on how women, particularly women in the LGBTQ community, all too often experience verbal violence on the street. Thank you, Allison, for sharing your experiences with us!
Tell us about the first time you were street harassed. How old were you, and how did you respond?
I don’t remember the first time I was harassed on the street, but I think I must have been 13 or 14. It’s hard to pinpoint the first time because as young girls we aren’t aware enough to realize that men telling us to smile or pressing us for conversation isn’t okay. Encounters like that just left me with bad feelings in my gut.
Your post has received tons of attention on Jezebel and throughout the blogsphere. Why do you think that is?
I believe my post created a stir for a couple reasons. First, it struck a chord with women and queers who are harassed on a regular basis and showed that we can break the silence about these experiences. Secondly, a lot of people got worked up in the controversy of the punch. We’re taught that violence is never okay, period. But pacifism is a privileged position for people to be able to take, and in many cases I think it’s because they have not been the target of abuse. It’s interesting because many people believe that my act was violent, but don’t see repeated, menacing, degrading behavior as violent, when that behavior can be so damaging to our mental and emotional wellbeing.
On Jezebel and your blog, many commenters seem to think Allston, Mass. is a breeding ground for street harassers. Do you think women and LGBTQ individuals are more prone to harassment in Allston than in other areas?
Allston has a disproportionate amount of street harassment compared to other neighborhoods, partially because of the BU [Boston University] bros who act like the town is their playground. People seem to think I’m exaggerating about experiencing street harassment every day here, but truly, not a day in Allston goes by that I don’t receive unwanted sexual attention. It happens everywhere though; it’s just very blatant here.
What would you say to those who say we should “just ignore or walk away” from street harassers?
Sometimes ignoring or walking away is the safest thing to do in that moment. However, doing so just proves to harassers that they are free to keep bullying. Standing up for yourself, whether that is verbal or physical, can be very empowering. It’s not up to other people to decide what will be empowering for you, so I urge targets of harassment to do whatever will make you feel safest and strongest. As for men’s role in stopping street harassment, I believe it is absolutely necessary for men to call out their friends on their actions. Only with allies of all genders and sexualities do we have a shot at smashing rape culture.
Did you feel more safe punching this guy because your girlfriend was with you?
I didn’t feel safe punching the guy and half-expected to be hit back. I probably wouldn’t have hit him if I weren’t both with my girlfriend and on a populated street. It had just gotten to the point where I was willing to physically put my body on the line to confront the verbal abuse I experience every day.
You mentioned that after years of being harassed by strangers daily, you “snapped” and that the guy “got the brunt of my rage of him and hundreds of other men’s blatant sexual harassment. The punch I threw carried the pain and solidarity of thousands of other women, queers and other non-normative people who are targeted by hate and ignorance every day.” Now that the punch has been thrown — how are you going to target your anger and pain? Do you think you’ll ever punch a street harasser again?
I target my anger and pain into consciousness raising and activist work. Hearteningly enough, some amazing feminist work has been blossoming in the Boston area lately. An advocacy group called Knockout Barstool just formed at Northeastern University to call out a blog that promotes rape culture through its “Blackout Tour”. The Boston branch of Permanent Wave (NY-based feminist group) has its first meeting this Sunday. I’m involved with the Women’s Caucus of Occupy Boston, and Occupy Allston-Brighton has a feminist/anti-oppression working group I want to get involved with. Basically I want to be part of a greater effort to raise consciousness in our society and destroy rape culture. I don’t have plans to hit anyone again, but I will stand up for myself and my loved ones in whatever way is necessary.
Published on January 31, 2012 at 10:55 am
no commentsWomen and Writing at Kala Ghoda
HOLLA BOMBAY! We wanted to let you know about an amazing event that is happening this evening. Shilpa Phadke, Shilpa Ranade and Sameera Khan, authors of 'Why Loiter: Women and Risk on Mumbai Streets' along with Annie Zaidi, author of 'The Bad Boys Guide to the Good Indian Girl' and Amana Fontanella Khan, author of 'The Pink Sari Revolution' will be gathering to "banter about women, writing, and the myriad, occasionally muddled connections between the two." Author and journalist Namita Devidayal will moderate. They are meeting TODAY at the David Sassoon Gardens in Kala Ghoda from 6-7pm. Go forth! It's going to be awesome. We did an interview with the writers of 'Why Loiter' when the book was published and are sure that this event will be nothing short of incredible.
Published on 2012-02-06 19:58:10
My Child Check out this great video about acceptance of the homosexual community, the media, and how we can support progress by funding progressive media.
Published on 2012-02-06 17:53:59
Fiat Super Bowl Ad Stereotypes Women of Color
So the latest Super Bowl controversy, aside from rapper MIA flipping the bird during her performance with Madonna, is the Fiat Car commercial starring Romanian model Catrinel Menghia. Despite Fiat revealing today that the commercial achieved the highest cumulative increase in car model page traffic, we would like to pop that balloon by cataloguing several reasons why we just plain don’t like it. Apart from objectifying females and condoning street harassment the advert plays with some very dangerous race and gender stereotyping. The commercial portrays a seemingly dumb white guy, ogling the classically hyper-sexualized woman of color. She is seen as provocative, voiceless and tattoed, a stereotype that we should be rejecting, not reinforcing. Check it out for yourself. [embed width="400" height="500"]http://youtu.be/cpi2IAec9Ho[/embed]
Published on 2012-02-06 17:16:16
Filmmaker Tiye Rose Hood Drives Social Change and Randomly Bakes
BY VICTORIA TRAVERS
In the past year, Filmmaker and Academy of Art University student, Tiye Rose Hood, has created and released two compelling films. “Objectified” focuses on street harassment, and the latest “Jenella” published in January, explores the blame culture and the issue of silence associated with sexual assault. The inspiration for all of Tiye’s documentaries comes from what she describes as a deep-rooted “interest in work that inspires understanding and social change,” as well as a passion for film and digital cinematography.
Produced in 2011, street harassment documentary “Objectified” debuted on Vimeo in June of last year and was nominated for Best Documentary in Academy of Art’s 2011 Epidemic Film Festival. Being nominated for the award was’ a wonderful feeling’ but Tiye admits that the driving force behind its production was not a quest for critical acclaim. Tiye was inspired by her own experiences of street harassment and the stories that others had shared with her:
“It is often quite irritating to hear honks, whistles, and obscenities when all you want to do is go home after a really long day at work or school, and that's something we all agreed on. My roommates and I all ride the bus and walk, so we encounter our share of rude and unwanted attention. And pretty much all of the attention occurs (seemingly) without a catalyst.”
As a young woman that spends her life moving through public spaces, Tiye, recognizes the importance of the movement against street harassment:
“I think the movement against it is important, and that ultimately everyone should be able to feel safe and comfortable no matter what they happen to have on.”
With social injustice and the idea of sharing stories still fresh in Tiye’s mind she embarked upon “Jenella”, which originally began as an assignment for a documentary class. However, in the middle of the semester the focus shifted:
“I met Jenella through one of my roommates, who told me a little bit about what happened to her. I knew her story had to be told in some manner. Jenella is the strongest individual I have met to date.”
Originally, the documentary was intended to be about rape crisis counselors, featuring footage from last year’s high profile Slutwalks rather than “one women's struggle.” But Tiye felt that Jenella’s story was one that had to be told and focused upon:
“I met Jenella through one of my roommates, who told me a little bit about what happened to her. After I met her and started to learn more about her, I knew her story had to be told in some manner. I also met Chimine Arfuso, a speaker, philanthropist, and the creator of Create Social Change. Chimine shared her experiences and the methods she used to cope with them. Jenella and Chimine are the strongest individuals I have met to date.”
The beauty of Tiye’s work is her recognition of the power of story telling, the idea that if we share our stories, we gather strength, momentum and knowledge to make a change and raise awareness. “Jenella” rejects the concept of sweeping incidents under the carpet and tackles the “blame culture” where survivors are questioned as to why they made decisions that could have possibly led to their attack.
Born in the Los Angeles area, Tiye grew up in Pasadena and Altadena and went to school in Pasadena. She loves to randomly bake and admits that she has “fallen deeply in love with the painstaking process of using lights, the sun, and a light meter to create and manipulate the visual aesthetics and get the desired results,” and looks forward to soon be working with 35mm film.
Tiye is inspired by several different directors, cinematographers and musicians including: Paul Thomas Anderson, Spike Jonze, Stanley Kubrick, Emmanuel Lubezki, Joanna Newsom, Bradford Cox. But high profile role models aside, the aspiring director is most motivated by her friends whom she describes as:
“Strong, fearless, passionate and very highly involved in equal rights movements.”
When asked about the future, the Best Documentary in Academy of Art’s 2011 nominee quite modestly reveals that she does not know. However, what she does know is that she really wants “to learn, enjoy life, enjoy the ups and downs of film-making and graduate!” And we at Hollaback! say good luck to you Tiye and keep driving social change and being generally awesome!
Published on 2012-02-06 16:34:45
A "Friendly" Stalker - Ash's story
I was in a rush from class, to travel to another campus for a friend's birthday. I wanted to bring cupcakes. I hopped on the Circulator and headed down to find the Charm City Cupcakes shop on Charles Street. As I walked up to I believe Mulberry Street, I got a few looks and honks but suddenly there was a young man behind me. He startled me and although he complimented my hair, I was frightened. He kept following me, as he was "helping me" to find the cupcake shop. I was very uncomfortable especially since he was touching my back pack; part of it had been unzipped. I didn't know what to do or who to contact. He even followed me into the shop as I bought the cupcakes. I tried to send a message to my friend I was visiting in case something had happened to me. No response. I waited for the next bus towards the Harbor and he even got back on with me! Offered to walk me to the next bus/ride with me to my final destination. He asked me before I got off of the bus if he could have my phone number. The guy I was visiting, told me I shouldn't have been wearing what I was wearing and didn't feel any concern for me. I was hurt he was a "friendly" stalker nonetheless it could have gone worse. I hate the idea that I have to always be scared or wear baggy clothes to be out in public alone and in the day light no less! I am trying to make a whole art series depicting this idea. The attached image is the first drawing I have done to try to get some ideas down.
Published on 2012-02-06 14:25:31
Too Good? | Britni's Story
I used to work in a residential neighborhood in Dorchester. In order to get to the home that I worked in, I would have to walk up a hill from the bus stop. At the end of my shift, I would walk back down the hill to catch the bus home. One day as I was approaching the bottom of the hill, a group of men were gathered on the steps of an apartment building. I had my headphones in and attempted to walk past the group of men towards the bus stop. I could hear one of them yelling, "Hey! Hey!" at me, but pretended not to hear him and kept walking. I felt someone grab my arm from behind, hard, and spin me around. A man took one of my ear plugs out and said, "What's wrong with you, bitch? You too good to talk to my friend?" His friend then approached me and said, "I'm just trying to holla at you, baby. You're a fine piece of ass." He then proceeded to slap my butt and laugh. I quickly spun around and raced the rest of the way down the hill towards the bus stop. I never took public transportation to work again.
Published on 2012-02-06 06:01:31
Sessizliğini Duyan Var Mı?
Sessizliğini Duyan Var Mı? Yasemin Gültekin Her gün yüz binlerce insanı İstanbul’un en kalabalık merkezine taşıyan metro hattındayım. Yanımda transseksüel bir kadın oturmakta, kendisine çok yakışan şık bir etek giymiş. Tam karşımızda ayakta duran iki turist gözlerini yanımdaki kadının bacaklarına öyle dikmişler ki, bu durum beni rahatsız ediyor, bende onların yüzüne diyorum gözlerimi, yanımdaki kadın da öyle. Onlar konuşmalarına dalmış tabi, bizim bakışlarımızı bile fark edemiyorlar. En kötüsü de bu dili az buçuk anlayabiliyorum ve arada kullandıkları ‘universal’ kelimeler konuşmanın bu transseksüel kadın üzerine döndüğünü bir kez daha doğruluyor. İçimden kadının bunu anlamamasını diliyorum, kırılmaması için. Ama zaten her gün cinsel kimliği yüzünden defalarca kez etiketlenen, rahatsız edilen, taciz edilen, ellenen, eleştirilen bu kadının bu bakışlara çoktan kırılmış olduğunu anlıyorum, kısa süreli tepkisizliğinden. İki durak arasındaki mesafe büyüyor da büyüyor, bu iki turist gözlerini kadının bacağından ayırmıyor, konuşma iyice çirkinleşiyor, biz iki kadın nefretle bakıyoruz onlara. Kadın en sonunda bana dönüp ‘görüyorsun değil mi, görüyor musun ne yapıyorlar?’ diyor. Bu iki adama İngilizce küfrü basıp inmesi gereken duraktan önce iniveriyor metrodan kadın. 3-5 dakika daha bekleyip bir sonraki metroya binecek iki çift gözden sakınmak için. Buna engel olmayı çok istiyorum, kadına, ‘bunu yapma, bu şehirdeki bütün metrolarda özgürce seyahat etmek senin hakkın’ demek istiyorum, teorik olarak öyle çünkü, teorik olarak. Ama kadın yorulmuş yargılardan, ön yargılardan, insanın ağzında çok acı bir tat bırakan tacizi her gün yeniden tecrübe etmekten bıkmış, insanların sadece her biri birer birey oldukları için bir birine saygı duyması gerektiği gerçeğini unutmasına kızmış kadın. İsmini bile bilmediğim bu insana yapılan davranışa ben sessiz kalamıyorum, başlıyorum İngilizce, ‘insanların dilinizi anlamadığı bir ülkede olmanız istediğiniz kişinin bacaklarını on dakika izleme, o bacaklar hakkında, dinleyenleri dilinizden anladığına pişman edecek kadar ahlak dışı konuşma hakkını size vermez’ diyorum. Hele o kadının bir transseksüel olması yaptığınızın haksızlığını azaltmaz. Yaptıkları ben yüzlerine vuruncaya kadar suç değilmiş de şimdi suç olmuşçasına kızarıyor ikisi de, özür diliyorlar üstelik, ne medeni! Ama kadın indi bile diyorum, o kadından özür dileyebilir misiniz, artık, bir önemi var mı benden dilediğiniz özrün? İçi rahat iki durak gidemeyen bir kadından özür dilemeniz kalbindeki kırıklığı, kızgınlığı, midesindeki bulantıyı dindirir mi? Bütün metro bize bakıyor, ama o transseksüel kadın yok aralarında artık, o bir sonraki metroyu bekliyor, sırtında ‘farklı’ olmanın yüküyle. Taksimdeyim şimdi kafamda hala olayı çeviriyorum. Bir yandan da hızlı hızlı yürüyorum, istiklal caddesinde belli bir saatten sonra yalnız başınıza yürüyorsanız, hele ‘kadın başınıza’ yürüyorsanız, farkında olmadan sıklaştırıyorsunuz adımlarınızı, sanırım bir çeşit korunma içgüdüsüyle. Yanımdan üç adam geçiyor benim ayaklarım hızlı, üç adamdan bana yakın olanın elleri. Bir anda avuçlayıveriyor kalçamı. Zihnim darmadağın oluyor, ilk anın şokuyla bir an hareket edemiyorum, berbat bir tiksinti hissi içimde, sonra dönüp yakalıyorum bu adamı, tutuyorum kolundan ‘ne yaptığının farkında mısın’ diyorum, ‘pardon anlamadım’ diyor, ‘neyi avuçladığına dikkat et bundan sonra’ deyince başını eğip ‘kusura bakma bacım’ diye suçunu itiraf edercesine özür diliyor. ‘Evet’ diyorum, ‘bacın olabilirdim, annen olabilirdim, annene aynısı olabilirdi, anlayabiliyor musun?’ Sırf tepki verdiğim için özür dilenmesine üzülmeli miyim, avuntu olarak mı kabul etmeliyim bilmiyorum. Bir an düşünüyorum, bunu hak ettim mi diye, üstümde paspal dizime kadar inen siyah bir mont var başıma bir metrelik şalı dolamışım, üstelik hayır, mini etek giymiş olsam da buna hakkı yoktu ki, metrodaki kadının, ne üstündeki kıyafet, ne trans olması geçerli bir sebep taciz edilmesi için. Kıyafetim, saçım, örtüm, peruğum, bacağımın ortada ya da çarşafın altında olması ne giydiğim ya da giymediğim tacizi haklı çıkaramaz, suçu hafifletemez hiçbir şekilde beni suçlu ilan edemez. Çünkü hatta zaten kadın olmak bile gerekmiyor, tacize uğramak için, uzun saçlı sarışın erkek arkadaşıma, Eminönü’nde benim yanımda laf atılıyor, ben tepki verince ‘özür dilerim ablacım ben sizi yabancı sandım’ diyor tacizci, yabancı olmamız suçunu hafifletebilecekmiş gibi. Metrodaki iki turistin mantığıyla bu adamın ki aynı, beni anlamadığın sürece senin hakkında istediğimi söyleyebilirim zihniyeti. Hırsızın ’beni yakalamadığın sürece yaptığım hırsızlık mubah’ demesi gibi bir şey bu. Suç ortaya çıkmasaydı adı suç olmayacaktı, çünkü o adam biri onu ayıplamadığı sürece utanmayacak yaptığından. Ben de onun kafasındaki çarpıklığa onun silahıyla cevap veriyorum, utandırıyorum ‘ayıplıyorum’ tacizciyi. Çünkü tacizci bizden daha güçlü olduğu/ olduğunu düşündüğü için değil, cevap veremeyeceğimizden hemen hemen emin olduğu için bu kadar rahat. Onun için bir tepkiyle karşılaşınca afallıyorlar genelde, başımızı önümüze eğip hızlı hızlı uzaklaşmamız daha çok işlerine geliyor çünkü. Bizim onun gözündeki çaresizliğimizi bir kez daha doğruluyor. Sessiz kalmayı reddediyorum bunun için. Vücudumun bir obje bir eşya haline getirilmesini reddettiğim gibi, kadın seksapeli üzerinden nemalanmaya çalışan reklam sektörünü reddettiğim gibi. Bedenim üzerinde söz hakkı olduğunu zanneden bütün anlayışları; kalçamı avuçlamayı, rahatsız edici bakışlarını orama burama dikmeyi erkeklik sanan bütün zihniyetleri; beni, kimliğimi kalıplara sokmaya çalışan, etiketlemek zorunda hisseden, yargılayan, her hangi bir kesimin diğerinden geride/ bir adım önde olduğunu/olması gerektiğini savunan bütün bu çarpıklığı reddediyorum. Taciz insanlık haklarının ihlalidir, haklarımızın ihlal edilmesine göz yummayı reddediyorum. Tacize son vermemizin o kadar zor olmadığına ve bunun tacizin kabul edilemez olduğunu düşünen herkesin, bunu dile getirmesiyle mümkün olduğuna inanıyorum, bütün iyimserliğimle.
Published on 2012-02-05 15:00:01
סליחה.
מדי פעם אנחנו רוצות להעלות על הכתב ולשבח את אותם א/נשים שגורמים לנו להרגיש בטוחות, ושהמרחב האישי שלנו והבטחון שלנו משנים להם והם מכבדים אותו. זהו אחד מן המקרים הללו. אתן ואתם מוזמנות לשלוח אלינו גם מקרים דומים, של התנהגויות שהיינו רוצות ורוצים לראות יותר.תענית אסתר, שנה שעברה, כמה עשרות מטרים לפני כיכר דיזנגוף. תשוש כולי מהצום, אני הולך ברחוב החם, הכובע והחליפה מעיקים עוד יותר. אי-אלו מטרים מולי אני קולט אדם כבן חמישים, לבוש מוזנח, צועד במהירות בעקבות בחורה, וצועק לעברה משפטים כמו "חבל, את תהיי יפה על ארבע" ואמרי-שפר נוספים מסוג זה. אני בדרך כלל נמנע מלהסתבך עם טיפוסים כאלו, (בטח במראה החרדי הטיפוסי שמעורר עויינות אוטומטית). אך הפעם משהו בי לא הצליח להתאפק ופשוט התחלתי לצרוח עליו שירגע, ושיסתום את הביוב שאמור להיות הפה שלו. הבחורה המבוהלת המשיכה לצעוד במהירות, ולא אמרה מילה. הפנים שלה הביעו עלבון, בושה, גועל. הקורבן הפך להיות אני, ובדקות שאחרי כן, היצור המאוס פשוט הלך אחרי וקילל אותי ממושכות. מה שהכי מרגיז אותי עד היום, זה חוסר היחס של עשרות האנשים שהיו באזור. כאילו מה? דווקא דוס כמוני, על 1.70 עלובים צריך להתעסק עם טיפוסים כאלו? אם הבחורה ההיא תקרא את השורות הבאות, אני מבקש ממנה סליחה, בשם המין הגברי כולו. אני מתנצל שפירות באושים כמו היצור הדוחה שהציק לך הם חלק מן ממנו. סליחה. נשלח על ידי חיליק
Published on 2012-02-05 10:20:58
Hollaback Istanbul: Helping you when you travel
Check out this great article by Istanbul resident David Joshua Jennings about how to avoid street harassment when traveling. The piece features advice from Canimiz Sokakta director, Kacie Lyn Kocher.
Published on 2012-02-04 17:53:27
This is my story.
Hey Hollaback friends, My name is Liv Hall. I'm eighteen years old, a second year Law, Politics and English student at Vic, debater, Harry Potter fanatic and musical theatre lover. I'm also now lucky enough to be part of this amazing project known as Hollaback. Last night I met with some of the wonderful women who have put together the Wellington branch of this international effort to support those who experience street harassment, and as a result I will now be contributing to the blog and website when possible. But I wanted to start by sharing my own story of street harassment and how I came to discover the Hollaback service. As a first point of reference, if you look slightly further down on the home page you will see "Olivia's Story", which is a post I put in to Hollaback a few months ago after an unpleasant experience on Lambton Quay. While I had previously experienced the far too common ordeal of being yelled at or verbally abused on the streets, I'd never had someone invade my personal space in that physical way before, and if I'm honest, it scared me. I felt less safe walking around at night and I became far more aware of the fact that I was a woman on the streets of Wellington, and what that can mean. It took a bit of thinking about to realize that being made to feel that way is really not okay. The problem is it happens so often and is so under-reported that people come to expect it, assuming that it is just one of those things we are supposed to take and roll with. But let me assure you, it's not. Then, over Summer, I was in Auckland and had another unpleasant encounter. I was waiting at a large bus stop for my brother. Slightly further down the bench from me was an older man, and on his other side a boy I took to be about my age. I could feel the older man staring at me and while it made me a bit uncomfortable, I tried to ignore it and focus on the email I was reading. He was harder to ignore when he began speaking. From what I recall, his words were "Oi missy, those are some grade A tits you’ve got there. I’d love to put my head between those." And then he laughed. I had no idea how to react, essentially shocked into silence. The teenage boy on his other side also laughed, and while I appreciate he may not have known how to intervene or how to respond, that hurt me as much as the man's comment. I felt like I was being ridiculed for my gender, judged based on my body and objectified in a way that I couldn't stand. However, unable to think of an appropriate response, I chose instead to simply stand up and leave. Having been pointed to the Hollaback website, I shared the first of those two stories. I received encouraging comments and I was able to read other people's stories and comment on those as well. I found a community who agreed that what had happened to me was a form of abuse and were willing to stand by me and support me. I'm often asked what Hollaback provides, and that is exactly it. We are a community, a family of people who, while we may not be brought together in the most pleasant of circumstances, are there to make people feel less alone and show them people and organisations who can provide further guidance when necessary. I would encourage you to share the website with friends and family members, whether it be to share a story or simply read others. For now, that is my story. Thank you for giving me a place to share it.
Published on 2012-02-04 12:07:08
Palabras a un acosador.
Voy caminando de prisa, a una reunión de trabajo y tú, deambulas, seguro te diriges a algún lugar también. En un mundo ideal te detienes a pensar lo que acabas de hacer, pero probablemente, en unos minutos lo olvidarás, como una cotidianeidad más. Te contaré la historia perfecta para no caer en pesimismos, espero que me entiendas que si no veo para adelante, no puedo avanzar. Idealmente seguí caminando rápido, arreglada para mi cita, me apresuré y llegué a la hora indicada, sin ningún contratiempo. Ahora va la real. Camino de prisa, sì, arreglada para mi cita de trabajo. Tu pasas y me dices “guapa”, como si me conocieras, como si tuvieras derecho a comentar sobre mi cuerpo, como si yo me hubiera arreglado para tí, para las miradas que me tratan como objeto, el objeto que les parezca adecuado según mi vestimenta, el color de mis labios, mis zapatos, aunque traiga pants o tennis. Yo no te conozco, yo nisiquiera te había visto. De haber ido a tiempo vendría sonriente, en general me considero una persona amable. Pero no. Te respondo pidiéndote una explicación, una disculpa, pero tú conoces tu privilegio, sabes que eres más fuerte que yo y encima de eso sabes que probablemente nadie más te va a confrontar, entonces con actitud retadora y humillante me lo vuelves a decír, ésta vez enfatizas, casi gritas, castigándome por intentar sacarte de tu zona de confort, por intentar reclamar mi espacio, un espacio que todos creen público. Lo has logrado, lo han logrado todos, nadie intervino, todomundo siguió caminando, por que el disponer del cuerpo de una mujer y ponerla “en su lugar” es natural, es normal e invisible. Mi día ha cambiado, pero el tuyo no, tu mundo sigue igual. Camina, camina de prisa. Que yo no me cambio de mundo, en tu camino te vas a encontrar con mi lucha. Un día vas a saber lo que siento. Por Voz Itinerante
Published on 2012-02-04 08:09:28
Erin's Story: "I felt mortified and objectified"
I am so glad I found this space-- this experience has left me with a very lonely and awful feeling all day. I am visiting New Orleans for a business convention, so I am required to wear business professional attire. Because I am short, I prefer to wear "skinny jeans" style dress pants because I look like I am swimming in wide leg pants. My clothing was form fitting because, plain simply ,that is more flattering on me and because I feel confident wearing that style. While walking to lunch in the french quarter I was called to repeatedly by different men. At first it didn't bother me because I took it as "southern charm," but when I walked past a convince store in front of a group of men, they literally were screaming at me. One man even said that he "was horny." I felt mortified and objectified. While I silently stormed away another group of men at the end of the street continued where they left off. Further down a man pulled his car over to ask "if he could walk me home" that night. I could not believe these men had the nerve to make me feel this way. I felt ashamed for the way I was dressed (even though I was completely business appropriate). I wish I had the nerve to say something, but I was honestly scared that I would just provoke them. I am trying not to let this experience taint my otherwise amazing time in New Orleans. Thank you, Hollaback, for giving me an outlet to vent. These stories are hard to share.
Published on 2012-02-04 03:29:12
Holly's Story: "It happened so fast"
So here I am walking with my sister and some friends on the crowded street of Spring in SoHo. I am joking around with my friends and I notice this guy passing me on my left. He was getting closer to me so subconsciously I tried moving over when all of a sudden he reaches inside my leg and brushes my thigh. It happened so fast like how most interactions on the streets last. My mouth flew open and I turned to my friends saying, "That guy just touched me!" There were two guys behind me and they too noticed it. The man was short, bald and pulling some rolling backpack. All I can say is that even on the crowded streets of New York no one is safe.
Published on 2012-02-04 03:21:59
Beth's Story: We're all in this together
It happened so fast. It happened before I could think. But, it happened. It was a little thing, I guess, in the scale of street harassment. But it was big too, because every little act of disrespect and aggression adds up to something larger in a world where being a female out in public makes you sexual prey. Which is why I wish I had done something to protect the women he might do this to in the future. Cause most women don't like to be sniffed in public. That's right I said sniffed. Yeah, SNIFFED. Like a dog. Here's how it happened, girlfriends. I was standing outside a grocery store in another town when a man came up behind me, got as close as he could without touching me.....and sniffed me. Yeah, SNIFFED me. Like a dog. My back had been to the store, so I didn't see the man until he walked around me and went to his car. He shot a creepy smile over his shoulder, letting me know that he knew exactly what he had done. I stood glued to my spot on the sidewalk, stunned by the guy's brazen disrespect in such a public place. I watched him get in his car, still smiling his creepy smile. I watched him drive away, laughing to himself. I was pissed, but mainly I counted myself lucky that it hadn't been something worse. At least he hadn't touched me, I thought. Or yelled something humiliating. He was just a sad, pathetic guy who got a cheap thrill from sniffing women in public places. I was unharmed and I could laugh about the story with my friends. But the more I thought about the incident it didn't make me laugh, it made me MAD! Not just mad at the creep, but mad at myself. Mad at myself because I hadn't done anything. I just let him drive away, not even because I was that scared, but mainly because I was being selfish. I say selfish because in my reaction to this guy I was thinking only about myself. "I got out of it. I wasn't hurt. I didn't live in the city where it happened." Those were my thoughts as I silently watched him drive away. But really my thought process should have been more like this: "What if he does this to one of us again? What if he does something worse to someone else? We need to stick together." The "we" of course, is all women, because whether you believe in the concept of global sisterhood or not, we are all in this together when it comes to street harassment. When you confront or report a street harasser, you're doing it not just for yourself, but for the future women the harasser may target. Getting catcalled at a construction site? When you call in and complain you save not just yourself, but all the future women walking by that site from unjust humiliation. When you get harassed by someone in a car? Get the license plate number if you can and call the authorities. You may never see the harasser again but some other women will, and your call could be what gets the harasser pulled over and scared off that type of behavior. And if you get sniffed? Well, I've thought a lot about what I could have done in the situation. Like I said it happened very fast and I think the first thing you should think about in any confrontation is your own safety. Thinking back I wish I had at least taken a picture of the guy and his license plate with my camera phone. I would have felt safe enough to do that and I could have turned the picture and a description of the event into the managers at the grocery store he'd been exiting and of course the local police. Sniffing somebody is strange enough, but all I can think about is how my police officer relative later told me that behavior like that is usually a first step to guys trying to touch women (or do worse) to them out in public. Could I have done something so that if this guy tries to do something worse to a woman some of his information would already be on file? Or has he already done something worse (and my gut told me he was a pretty serious creep), and turning in the pictures could have helped another woman find justice? I don't want to beat myself up asking too many questions. I can't change how I responded to a past situation, but I can think about how I'll act in the future. The next time I'm harassed I hope I think not just about myself but about all of us — all the women out there who just want to be out in public without feeling like a target. And if I can do something to make the next women's life a little safer I'll feel like I've done my part.
Published on 2012-02-04 00:12:32
Yabancı ülkelerde sokak tacizinden korunmanın yolları
Kadınların yurtdışında ya da yabancı şehirlerde gezerken sokak taciziyle karşılaşma ihtimallerinin daha yüksek olduğu acı bir gerçek. Bilindik olmayan bir ortamın kültürü ve neye göre davranılması gerektiğinin bilinmiyor olması bu durumu seyahat eden kadınlar için tehlikeli kılıyor. Bu konumda erkeklerin sosyal normların dışında kaldığına kanaat getirdikleri kadınları açık hedef olarak görmeleri gibi bir durum ortaya çıkıyor. Bu makaledeki çoğu taktik yurtdışında vakit geçirmiş kadınlardan ve feminizm aktivistlerinden geliyor, mesela Canımız Sokakta kurucusu Kacie Lynn Kocher da bunların arasında. Bu taktikler aynı zamanda erkeklerin bile işine yarayabilir. Yerel kültür hakkında bilgi edinin Ziyaret ettiğiniz kültür hakkında bilgi edinmek buralarda uygunsuz karşılanabilecek şeylerden kaçınmanız konusunda yardımcı olabilir. Kadınların istediği şeyleri giyebilmesi gerektiği bir gerçek, ancak bir ülkede alışılmış olandan daha açık kıyafetler giyilirse tacize uğrama ihtimali daha yüksek, ve ne yazık ki bu göz önünde bulundurulması gereken bir faktör. Ne kadar bu tarz baskılara karşı olursanız olun, kişisel güvenliğiniz sözkonusu olduğunda gerçekçi davranmak gerekiyor. Bir arkadaşınızla seyahat edin Taciz olasılığını azaltmanın en basit yollarından biri de bir arkadaşınızla beraber gezmek. Potansiyel tacizciler yalnız olmayan kadınları taciz etmemeyi seçebbiliyor, özellikle de yanlarındaki insan erkek ise. Bu dinsel açıdan tutucu olan ülkelerde çok sık yaşanan bir durum. Kendinizden yaşça büyük kadınlar ile arkadaş olun Eğer halka açık bir yerde tacize uğradıysanız, durdurmaya çalışmak ve tacizciyi ayıplamak güzel bir strateji olabilir. Bunu yapmanın bir yolu da sizden yaşça büyük olan bir kadının desteğini istemek. Mesela eğer bir otobüsteyseniz ve tacize uğruyorsanız, sizden yaşlı bir kadının yanına oturmaya çalışın. Pek çok yerde anne figürü saygı duyulan bir figürdür, ve bir erkeğin yabancı bir kadını taciz etmesi utanç verici bir durumdur. Ciddi görünün Bu can sıkıcı bir öğüt olabilir, özellikle de seyahat etmekteki amacınız yerel insanlarla arkadaş canlısı olmak istiyorsanız. Ciddi görünmek tacizden korunmak için çok güçlü bir bariyer olabilir. Kadın-erkek göz göze gelinmesinin ya da kadının gülmesinin flört olarak algılandığı yerlerde ciddi bir surat ifadesi takınmak yanlış anlaşılma ihtimalini ortadan kaldıracaktır. Kulaklık takın Sokak tacizcileri genelde kadınların dikkatini çekmeye çalışır, laflar atar. Kulaklık takarak bu tarz şeyleri engelleyebilirsiniz. Eğer dikkatinizi size sokakta laf atan birine verirseniz eline çok büyük bir koz vermiş olursunuz, ve devam etme ihtimali çok yüksek olur. Ancak yüksek sesle müzik dinlemekten kaçınmak daha mantıklı olacaktır, çünkü bu şekilde yaklaşmakta olan tehlikelerin farkına varmayabilirsiniz. Halka açık olmayan yerlere sığının Tacizci sizi takip ediyorsa yakınlarda bir yere girmek mantıklı olabilir, mesela bir otel ya da internet kafe. Eğer tehlikeli davranışlar sergiliyorsa polisi bile çağırtabilirsiniz. Ya da gidene kadar içerde bekleyebilirsiniz. Her taciz durumunda farklı şekillerde davranmanız gerekir, güvenli olmanızı sağlayacak şekilde kendi kararlarınızı vermeniz uygun olur. Eğer cevap vermeye karar verirseniz de yapabileceğiniz şeyler var. Güçlü ve kendinden emin bir şekilde, tacizcinin yüzüne bakarak tehditkar bir şekilde konuşun. Aşırı kızgınlık göstermek ya da küfür etmekten kaçının, ama tacizi haketmediğinizi ve istemediğinizi belli edin. Tacizcinin kim olduğunu belli edecek cümleler kurun, "Sarı montlu, bana dokunma" gibi. Eğer tacize şahit oluyorsanız "bystander effect" denen şeye dikkat edin. Bu herkesin başkasının tepki göstermesini beklediği ama kimsenin harekete geçmediği durumlardır. Müdahale etmekten korkabilirsiniz, tehlike altında hissedebilirsiniz, ancak unutmayın ki sizin yardımınız çok şey değiştirebilir.
Published on 2012-02-03 23:13:45
A Week in Our Shoes: 2/3/2012
BY EMILY MAY
Hello Hollaback supporters and revolutionaries!
Take a look at this week ‘s HOLLAnews and updates with February’s first installment:
-Mumbai in Town! This week we met up with Aisha from Hollaback! Mumbai who has been super busy heading up the revolution in Bombay. Hollaback! Mumbai, in collaboration with the families of murdered Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez, are responsible for change.org petition: Demand Justice for Two Men Killed Trying to Stop Street Harassment, which demands justice for the brutal murders of two bright, brave young men and calls for recognition of the prevalence of street harassment in Mumbai and across India. Also, check out Hollaback! Mumbai’s awesome press coverage in online news publication Hindustan Times.
-In the Press: I was interviewed for online fashion market place, I-ELLA.com. We also got a shout out from the Pixel Project, a non-profit organization that works to end violence against women (VAW) by delivering innovative, powerful viral campaigns across various online and virtual channels including social media. Our lead developer, Jill Dimond, was also featured on mobile app blog, Fueled.com.
-Meetings and Partnerships: We met with the Caruso Foundation and the Transit Workers Union to talk about future collaborative works to stamp out street harassment once and for all!
Thanks Hollaback! supporters for another fantastic week of fighting street harassment and keeping the revolution alive!
HOLLA and out!
Emily
Published on 2012-02-03 18:46:30
Wellington Police investigating Newtown indecent assault
Wellington Police are investigating the indecent assault of a young woman on Hutchison Road in Newtown on Wednesday night (1 February 2012). Acting Detective Sergeant Sam Mercer of the Wellington Crime Squad says the victim was walking on Hutchison Road around 10pm, by the bus stop adjacent to John Street, when she was approached by three men. "The men made lewd remarks to her, before one of them assaulted her. Luckily, the victim was able to defend herself and run to safety." Sam Mercer says the main offender is described as being olive skinned, with short spiky black hair and around six feet tall. He was wearing a baggy, dark grey hooded top. The other two men are described as wearing dark jeans and beanies. "We believe the three men had been consuming alcohol, and may have been carrying some with them." He says Police are interested in hearing from anyone who was in the area of Hutchison Rd between 9pm and 11pm on Wednesday night or who might have seen the men walking in the Newtown or Mt Cook areas. Anyone with information should phone the Wellington Crime Squad on (04) 802 3606 or phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Published on 2012-02-03 16:27:33
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