Women feeling unsafe and uneasy in public situations is all but uncommon. Two-thirds of women have been sexually harassed by men in public. In a survey conducted in the United States, more than half of women were verbally harassed, forty-one percent of women had experienced physical aggression in public, twenty-three were victims of non-consensual sexual touching, twenty percent were followed, fourteen percent were flashed, and nine percent were forced to do ‘something sexual’ (source 3). These statistics show that street harassment is a significant issue that exists in society today. Women should be able to walk down the sidewalk without having to worry about a man whistling, hissing, and cat-calling.
With street harassment becoming more commonplace in our society, most times it goes unnoticed by bystanders and is never addressed. Street harassment consists of more than physical (aka sexual) actions. Most women are victims of men ‘catcalling’, such as whistles, animal noises, and sexualized statements like “Hey baby, smile for me.” Men may argue that making these noises and saying these statements is a First Amendment right. This, however, is a false statement. Hurling sexualized statements at an individual is considered assault, according to source 4.
Through songs, television shows, and movies, street harassment is publicized and encouraged. For example, the song “Starstrukk” by 3OH!3, which was once a hit song. “Nice legs, Daisy Dukes, makes a man go [whistle]. That’s the way they all come through like [whistle]. Low-cut, see-through shirts, that make ya [whistle]”. The ‘cat-calling’ whistles in this song encourage men to whistle at a girl whom they want to have sex with and they will get it, as that is what the song suggests. There are plenty of songs that give the same message as this one does. With street harassment being popularized through media, many people are beginning to think that it is proper without thinking of how it makes women feel. Songs with positive messages about street harassment should not be allowed by artist. However, songs that inspire men to be gentlemen and to make women feel important to society instead of sexual beings should be the new standard.
Tatyana Fazlalizadeh was interviewed about using her art against street harassment (source 2). Fazlalizadeh stated in her interview that she was “tired of people, mostly men, telling her to smile, commenting on her body, or calling her ‘baby’. With her public art campaign, she is fighting back. Fazlalizadeh interviews women about their personal experiences on street harassment, then draws their portrait with a quote to be viewed by many people. In her interview, she explains that she is not the only woman who has gone through the struggles of street harassment, that it is a universal issue, the way womens’ bodies are treated. Women are viewed as sexual beings by men, Fazlalizadeh states.
There are many anti-street harassment campaigns in North America. One campaign that is popular among citizens is ‘Hollaback!’ organization. Since January 2011, they have trained over 300 leaders in 79 cities, 26 countries, and in 14 different languages (source 4). With organizations fighting against street harassment, as a society, we can cut down the percentage of women being publicly violated by men.