Street harassment can be defined as cat calling, yelling obscenities, names, etc. from one’s car, house, porch or establishment at a person walking down the street. Reactions to this type of behavior range from relatively innocuous annoyance to outright terror. This behavior many times makes the victim (yes, victim) feel unsafe.

Let me provide you with my most recent example from Saturday night. A friend and I were walking past a house on Harrison Road and a man from the porch yelled, “Hey little red-riding slut.” If at this moment you are thinking things such as, “Well, what was she wearing,” “How late on Saturday night,” or even, “He was probably drunk,” you are contributing to the problem. Let me say first, that it was late, yes, he was probably drunk, and the red he was referring to was my red peacoat. None of these things should matter.

The fact that I even needed to answer such questions is why so many men and women simply accept street harassment as a part of our culture. Well, I no longer would like to do that. And last night was only one example of the harassment that I receive on campus and in the community on an almost daily basis.

This week alone, I was “woo’d” at while I was running on Tuesday and someone yelled from a car window “How much?” when I was walking home last Wednesday. I am quite used to this sort of behavior, but I also fear for my safety because of it. These are not simple compliments; they are overtly sexual and aggressive comments. This has to stop.

As a community, we need to understand that type of harassment is a form of abuse. Abuse is more than just physical violence, it also can be mental and emotional. Even the threat of violence changes how one lives their life. One example is stalking, when fear of potential violence terrorizes the victim. It keeps someone from feeling safe.

More importantly, we need to refrain from victim blaming or downplaying the incident. Street harassment is a part of rape culture and plays a role in sexual assault in our community. I am not saying those who harass will rape, but sexual objectification encourages that type of behavior.
When you know someone who engages in this type of behavior, make sure you hold them accountable by telling them it isn’t acceptable.

Please remember even strangers in our community should and could still be our friends, or at least help us feel safer on the streets, rather than threatened.

Finally, and maybe most importantly, please do not blame the person who experiences the harassment. Remember, it does not matter what time the harassment occurs, where it occurs or what someone is wearing.

No one deserves to feel unsafe in their own community, or anywhere for that matter.