If you are a female, chances are you have been or will be catcalled at least once in your life. Catcalling can be anything from whistling to yelling, honking, or making sexual comments directed at women in a public place. It is an assertion of male privilege, one in which women are objectified without hesitation. On a global scale, 84 percent of women will be street harassed before the age of 17. The odds are even higher for women in Britain, a horrifying 90 percent. Children under the age of 10-years-old are being catcalled. This is completely unacceptable, and it is important to remember that it is never the girl or woman's fault for experiencing street harassment or catcalling. It does not matter what someone is wearing. No one deserves to have their safety endangered.
So, when we discuss catcalling, let's call it what it really is: harassment. Street harassment is an assertion of power. It is an attack on a woman's (or girl's) security. This should in no way be considered a compliment, and we should not be flattered when a man on the street tell us to "smile" or that we are "beautiful." We do not need their validation. If any of you have ever been catcalled, you know how terrifying it can be, especially if you were in a situation where you were alone. As a white woman, I experience catcalling and sexuality in a way that is very different from women of color. However, I have had many personal experiences of catcalling, honking, and the like myself, and I can tell you that I was in no way flattered by any of these experiences.
Most recently, I was catcalled by two clearly intoxicated old men while I was in Canada for a music festival with a friend. She and I were exiting the subway, exhausted after a long day, and we immediately noticed the two men leering at us. They made sexual gestures and were talking (though I have no idea what they said; it was in French) about and at us. We were alone in this narrow hallway with these two horrible men who clearly were a danger to our safety. My friend and I panicked and walked by them into the Bell Centre, which was closed. As we walked by, they meowed at us, continuing to make disgusting sexual gestures, edging even closer to us than they already were in this small, cramped hallway.
Even more horrifying was the moment we made it safely into the empty Bell Centre lobby, realizing that there were no workers we could turn to and no exits from the from the building; we would have to walk by them again, down the tiny hallway, and through the exit next to where they were sitting. My friend and I realized that we would not be able to walk out alone; the two men would surely attempt to grab us and who knows what else. We sought out one of the only two people in the building, a middle aged French woman who knew no English at all. We were terrified, we didn't speak French, and we were exhausted. It took about ten minutes to explain to this woman through mostly hand gestures our desperate situation. This woman walked us out of the building, saying something to the men in French as we walked by, the men creeping closer to us and continuing to meow. We thanked the woman, and we sprinted all the way back to our hotel.
We were not flattered in this situation. This did not make us feel beautiful. We did not smile. We ran for our lives. This is merely one example of how truly scary catcalling can be. My friend and I are fortunate. Sometimes, however, others are not so lucky. Street harassment can lead to grabbing, rape, public masturbation, and many more equally disturbing actions.
Even on college campuses, women are susceptible to catcalling. Recently, a group of my friends were walking from an academic building back to their dorms at about 8PM on a week night and were catcalled by a group of male students. "Want some of this D***?" they screamed at them from across the lawn. When my friends expressed their disgust, the boys replied, "Does that mean yes?"
These girls were in a group, it was a week night, and it was pretty early in the night too. The fact that things like this can happen to women even when they are in groups and even when they are on a college campus, a place that is supposed to be like a "second home" to students, is extremely unsettling.
If you experience or witness any form of street harassment that you feel is endangering yours or someone else's safety, get to a safe location and contact the police immediately. Call 911 if the harassment is currently taking place. If it has already taken place, call the local non-emergency number. In either case, you must be able to provide a description of where the harassment took or is taking place, when the harassment happened (date and time), a description of what happened and what the harasser or harassers looks like (approximate height, age, and build, hair color, eye color, etc), so you should write down as many details as you can as soon as you can. These details can quickly fade from your memory, so writing them down as soon as possible is crucial. Also do your best to find someone who can act as a witness for when the police show up or, if possible, record the harassment. Reporting a street harassment immediately after an incident will increase the chances of the harasser being apprehended. It can also provide you with a sense of justice and possibly help to prevent street harassments in the future. If you are being harassed, deal with it in whatever way you feel is safest for you, whether this means talking back or remaining silent and walking away. Strangers are dangerous and unpredictable. It is important that you make a decision that you feel is smart and safe for you. Street harassment is absolutely unacceptable in all forms, and remember that it is never your fault.
