Sexual Harassment: It's A Compliment

Headphones in, but turn the volume off to be aware of what they say. Look straight ahead, don’t make eye contact or they’ll see it as an invitation. If they’re persistent, walk with purpose but don’t make it obvious. Be sure to look behind you every few blocks. This seems like it’s the climax of a horror movie right? Maybe, but this is simply how woman have to walk down the street in today
s society. It can be in broad daylight, or on a fast-pace walk home at night. What does it mean to mean to be sexually harassed? According to the University of Michigan’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center, it is defined as “unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.” Sexual harassment involves everything between cat-calling to rape. Now not every cat-call is followed by a physical encounter, yet there are rules and laws put in place to protect women and young girls. 

What if it’s strictly a verbal encounter? Is it not to be taking serious? In Connecticut, it is a Class C misdemeanor and states that “a person is guilty in the second degree when by telephone addresses another in, or uses indecent or obscene language, or with the intent to harass, annoy or alarm another person through telegraph, mail, phone, or computer.” One third of women will experience non-contact, unwanted sexual experiences according to the Centers for Disease Control. A survey done with Hollaback! at Cornell University found that in New York City 60% of reported incidents of sexual harassment happened on the street. While another 22% happened on public transportation like buses and subway carts.

            For my final semester project, I wanted to bring awareness to this topic. For the past couple of weeks, I went around the school asking men and women about their encounters with sexual harassment. I wanted to show that people deal with this issue every day, and you sit right next to them in class.

References:

·         Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center. What Is Sexual Assault? www.sapac.umich.edu/article/63. Michigan University. Web 25 Oct. 2017

·         Justia. 2005 Connecticut Code – Sec. 58a-183. Harassment in the second degree: Class C misdemeanor. https://law.justia.com/codes/connecticut/2005/title53a/sec53a-183.html. US Codes and Statues. Web 25 Oct. 2017

·         Livingston, Beth A., KC Wagner, and Sarah T. Diaz. When Street Harassment Comes Indoors: A Sample of New York City Service Agency and Union Responses to Street Harassment. Cornell University: IRL School. Web 25 Oct. 2017

·         Centers of Disease Control. National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. https://www.ihollaback.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/NISVS_Report2010.pdf. Division of Violence Prevention: November 2011. Web 25 Oct. 2011