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Through the examination of studies of the street harassment of women in the general public and my own data (which disproportionately shows the experiences of feminist women), I concluded that the street harassment of women by men is pervasive and impacts the lives of women of all ages, races, economic backgrounds, and from all geographic locations. Street harassment is complicated because not all women view it the same way. Women usually do not like to be whistled at like a dog, talked to like a sex object, or grabbed or touched like a man’s plaything, but some women view the less offensive acts like whistles or stares as harmless flirtations, compliments, or just part of life. However, in at least a few circumstances all women will view the behavior of men as harassment, particularly if they are stalked or grabbed or are being treated with obvious disrespect. Being harassed can interrupt women from whatever they are doing and can also make them feel unsafe, demeaned, and angry. Being harassed can remind them that as women, they are still discriminated against, susceptible to sexual violence, and insignificant enough that they are shown disrespect by unknown men in public. For some women, the harassment will be so horrible that they will change their life in a significant way, be it changing their shift at work, changing their commute route, exercising at a gym instead of outside, gaining weight, wearing certain clothes, or avoiding events or classes that would require them to go in public alone at night. The street harassment of women by men seems to often occur because of a lack of respect for women by men. Women have their own intellectual pursuits, lives, feelings, and interests but harassing men do not care, they see women as there for their entertainment and harassing them can help alleviate their boredom, serve as something to do for sport or male camaraderie, and provide them with sexual gratification (such as men who masturbate in front of women). It does not matter to the harasser whether or not the woman he yells out to is a capable employee on her way to work, a loving mother taking her child to the park, or a teenage or college-age student on her way to school or a party; to him she is a woman on the street and therefore available for his attention. Factors like the underlying threat of violence, the volume of harassment incidents, and the swiftness with which harassment occurs often prevent women from responding to the sexually charged comments and touches. Thus, they are most likely to have a non-confrontational reaction like ignoring the harasser or walking away, though they may later take indirect combative action like sharing their story or posting anti-street harassment fliers. However, when they are able, an assertive confrontational reaction that allows the woman to challenge the harasser and let him know that his behavior is unappreciated and why can be the most effective response at helping women feel empowered. Additionally, while street harassment is unlikely to stop until there is a societal shift and men respect women overall, that goal might be reached more quickly if women are taught to turn around and demand to be respected each time they are harassed. Due to the pervasiveness and nature of street harassment, in most cases the law does not and cannot help women. It is hard to press charges against a person who is there one second and gone the next or against a person who will deny that his actions are harassment but instead are complimentary. These types of problems create holes in women’s ability to use prohibitive statues and statues like “intentional infliction of emotional distress” or “invasion of privacy.” Also, unlike racial slurs which are socially understood to be motivated by hate or ignorance and can fall under “hate crimes,” sexual slurs are not; or at least are not considered to be as offensive or damaging as racial slurs. In cases where a harasser become physically violent or can be proven to be stalking a woman and she can identify him to charge him, the law may be useful, but the majority of street harassment incidents are not this severe. The act of lobbying for anti-street harassment laws may be most useful in raising awareness of the problem rather than resulting in a possibly unenforceable law. Since the nature of street harassment frequently prevents a woman from being able to directly confront her harasser or turn to the law for protection, the most effective and realistic ways to stop street harassment on a societal level will be multi-layered. Most importantly, there needs to be widespread anti-street harassment and pro-respect for women education campaigns. In addition to education campaigns, women need to be taught effective assertive confrontation tactics and both women and men need to start speaking out against and condemning street harassment when they witness it. If the harassers are confronted time after time, they will be less likely to continue harassing, particular if their male peers condemn their actions. Founding, running, or participating in anti-street harassment workshops, consciousness-raising groups or activist campaigns can help educate and raise the awareness of the problem to the general public as well as work to help women feel empowered against the harassment. Anti-street harassment Web sites and the use of the Internet in general can be an excellent way to educate the public about the problems and pervasiveness of street harassment, raise women’s consciousness that they are not alone in dealing with street harassment, give voice to women’s experiences, and provide women with advice and resources on how to combat street harassment. While ultimately street harassment, rape, and domestic violence are unlikely to end until there is a cultural respect for women and an end to the idea that women’s primary identity is as a sex object, I compiled a short list of actions people can take to try to help that cultural shift occur and help stop street harassment. Read suggested ways people can work to help combat street harassment at an individual and grassroots level.
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