Pandemic or not, confinement or not, street harassment persists. And it begins with behaviors and remarks that you no longer want to see or hear.
While some people fail to dissociate sexual harassment from dating, there are phrases that women hear every day in the streets, or in transport, which are intrusive, insulting and prevent them from feeling totally free and safe in public space. The Stand Up program against street harassment, created by L’Oréal Paris, in partnership with the NGO Hollaback! and the Women's Foundation offers concrete solutions to put an end to these situations. It allows you to learn as a victim, but also as a witness of street harassment, to know how to react to such situations. As this awareness program indicates, “Street harassment refers to any unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature. If as a witness you think something is wrong, it most certainly is. instinct."
In order to better dissociate street harassment from flirting, let's take a look back at these sentences that some qualify as compliments, but which actually fall under sexual harassment.
"Sexy, in that dress"
A woman should be able to wear whatever outfit, hairstyle or makeup she wants without having to receive advice about her outfit, let alone from strangers. In a skirt, dress or jogging: no one has to comment.
"You are good !"
Are we a good dish to eat? Certainly not. By being qualified as a "You are good", a woman is sexualized, that is to say dispossessed of her body, dehumanized, as if she were nothing more than a vulgar piece of meat. This is not a compliment, it is sexual harassment.
"Give your number !"
This request, which by the way looks more like an order than a request, is irrelevant, especially when it comes at the start of a conversation, when nothing has been asked.
The equivocal looks
Sometimes you don't need words to make you feel unsafe in public space. The insistent looks, the winks, the repeated smiles, often even from several individuals in the same day … All this makes you terribly uncomfortable and indeed constitutes street harassment.
"Can I take you home?" / "Are you getting in my car?"
A classic with a tough skin. Why would we agree to be escorted or get into a stranger's car when nothing has been asked? All women want is to come home safely.
Hissing and noises in the mouth
This is another behavior that dehumanizes women. Hissing or making mouth sounds to call out is harassment.
"You are single ?"
Not only is this question completely intrusive, especially when it comes from a complete stranger, but above all: just because a woman is single doesn't mean she will accept advances. Women are not owned by anyone, whether they are in a relationship or not.
"Where do you come from ?"
This is a question that often arises, even before a "Hello" and that is often faced by women of color. It refers to a fetishization of Afro-descendant women, or of Asian origin, Maghreb … An exoticization from which they also suffer in public spaces.
"Smile a little!"
Giving an order to a woman is not okay at all. Also, these injunctions made to women to smile, to be gentle, welcoming but not too much … must stop. A woman smiles if and when she wants to.
Do you want to learn how to react when you are a witness or victim of street harassment? You can train for free by going directly to the Stand Up site here.