Comments on: Lilly’s Blog: Do Girls See Street Harassment as a Badge or a Battle Scar?

By: Elena

Elena — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 23:29:30 +0000

Harassment for me started at the age of 11; I looked a lot older, and I remember feeling a mix of shame, loss of innocence, and a bit of pride. Now, it just bothers me and I wish people would keep their opinions to themselves…I am not a dog, and I will not respond to calls and whistles!

By: Dirty Talk Ideas

Dirty Talk Ideas — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:54:00 +0000

Yeah this really help us to think and great ideas out there …thanks for this article.

By: Sybil Wolin

Sybil Wolin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:32:30 +0000

This article speaks to me. I’m 70 years old and no one harasses me anymore. It’s no loss. But I used to be harrassed, and I remember the experience and the indignation that I felt. As an older reader to younger readers, I say Lily is right. There’s nothing flattering about being harassed. Girls should get togethr and share strategies for dealing with harassment. They should be assertive in stopping it and they should speak out against it. Thank you Lily for speaking up creating a forum where others can do the same.

By: Weekly Round Up Feb. 7, 2010 « Stop Street Harassment!

Weekly Round Up Feb. 7, 2010 « Stop Street Harassment! — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:07:04 +0000

[...] Rachel Simmons discusses whether or not girls see street harassment as a badge of honor or a battle scar. [...]

By: carol traynor

carol traynor — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 03:33:31 +0000

http://www.hollabacknyc.blogspot.com/

By: Rachel Simmons

Rachel Simmons — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:40:34 +0000

These are great points and ideas! Thank you.

By: Adelaide Dupont

Adelaide Dupont — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:27:45 +0000

Good idea to talk to the men and boys.

That is one strategy.

By: hkearl

hkearl — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:22:15 +0000

The media and even parents and peers often frame street harassment as complimentary and so it is not surprising that young girls may internalize this and feel validated by male attention in public. This portrayal of street harassment, however, means that girls and women are less likely to respond assertively to the harassment (and this can be dangerous considering some men harass women as a form of rape-testing to see if they will fight back or not), are more likely to blame themselves for the harassment and limit their lives by trying to avoid it (such as changing their route or the clothes they wear), and are more likely to engage in self-objectification (which contributes to eating disorders and obsession with one’s looks).

It is absolutely vital for girls and women to talk to each other about their harassment experiences so they can better understand this the behavior is not complimentary but bullying, harassing behavior done simply because they are female. They can share strategies for dealing with harassers and learn how to respond assertively to them. It also is vital for girls and women to talk to men and boys they know about how often this happens and the negative impact it has on our lives.

By: Adelaide Dupont

Adelaide Dupont — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:15:14 +0000

I remember in November 2001 hearing one very cathartic story of a woman feeling she was being harrassed.

(She was in her late thirties at the time; I was 23).

It is a matter of personal space: on both sides. And boundaries such as NOT talking about a person where she can hear you.

Some years before, in 1998, while walking with friends (older friends), some youths did whistle.

The phone number tale sounds like stalking. I would not be asked for personal information unless I was known very very well indeed (and not in the one-dimensional fame way).

The Hollaback-type site must be from 2004 onwards.

Yes, we must talk about this, in our communities of women, and ‘take back the night’.

And it is not a problem confined to urban or suburban areas.