Hey Baby! What’s the Deal With Street Harassment?

Regardless of where you stand on women’s issues and feminism, as a woman, nothing is more annoying than walking down the street and hearing “HEY cutie!” from one side and “You look fine!” from the other. In fact, street harassment is a topic which excavates emotions deeply entrenched in the psyches of all genders and consistently elicits extreme reactions and debates which end in name-calling, gender slurs, and rampant political incorrectness. Vilification, victimization, and validation are all so heavily charged with emotions that it’s hard to see street harassment itself through the miasma of hate and hurt. Instead of looking at street harassment through a lens of “right” or “wrong,” I want to use a different paradigm when it comes to street harassment. Street harassment is a social behavior. Why does it occur? What are its effects? What can we do to decrease the damage it causes?

Why Does Street Harassment Happen?

No, it doesn’t happen because you are pretty. Nor does it happen because you are asking for attention. The theory that is accumulating increasing support actually suggests that the problem is bigger than you or me, and that it started long before we walked down that street. In her paper Street Harassment and the Informal Ghettoization of Women, Professor C. Bowman argues that street harassment occurs when men feel the need to express their dominance in the public sphere (541). Women’s presence in public contrasts with their traditional roles in the home, and street harassment is a method used to call out women on their inequality. Logically then, street harassment should be more common in areas that have seen an influx of female participation, which is, in fact, the case. Areas like the workplace and the military are prominent for their high rates of sexual harassment (Caputi).

Adding to this motivation is a phenomenon called “girl watching,” which B.A. Quinn talks about in her paper Sexual Harassment And Masculinity: The Power And Meaning Of “Girl Watching.” Girl watching may sound like something out of a creepy stalker movie but it’s just a term for a behavior you probably see regularly. Girl watching refers to groups of men bonding and expressing their virility by sexually critiquing women together (Quinn 394). This behavior is is broader than street harassment since it does not necessarily have to happen in public, or even require the presence of a woman. An example of girl watching would be a group of guys making comments like “I can show that lady a good time!”. Although girl watching is perhaps less noticeable than street harassment, the same motivations behind it could be exacerbating the issue of street harassment: male bonding, and public expression of heterosexual masculinity.

What Effects Does Street Harassment Have?

This question is fodder for heated cross-gender discussions. Men often claim that their comments are intended as compliments and that women like the remarks sent their way. Some women do seem to appreciate the attention. An overwhelming majority, however, disagree. Street harassment can lead to negative self-image, restriction in public spaces, feelings of disempowerment, and even sometimes physical harm. According to Professor Bowman, some women might subconsciously internalize feelings of low self-esteem due to street harassment and become uncomfortable with their own sexuality (535-40). Furthermore, passivity and low resistance to behaviors like cat-calling can sometimes identify the person being harassed as a candidate for further molestation (Bowman 536).

But women aren’t the only ones who are hurt by street harassment. Professor Bowman has something to say on the effect that street harassment can have on men as well: “it is difficult for a man, however well intentioned, to address an unfamiliar woman on the street without evoking some suspicion or fear in her,” and she goes on to say that street harassment “contributes to distrust and hostility between the sexes” (540). Guys, you too are also on the list of casualties when it comes to this behavior.

What Can I do to Decrease the Damage from Street Harassment?

Is getting a body guard an option? No? Not to worry, there are many other ways to confront street harassment. Unfortunately, none of them apply universally. Each situation is unique and may represent a different danger level. The most important thing to remember is that your safety comes first. If confronting your harasser seems at all dangerous, get yourself to a place of safety.

Generally, educating people on some of the negative effects of street harassment can help them become more aware and educated citizens. Joining a group that raises awareness on issues of sexual harassment can also be a good step in the right direction. There are many web sites, such as Hollaback!, which are devoted to helping women who encounter street harassment regularly find information and support.

Ultimately, regardless of the moral, ethical, and philosophical conclusions often reached in discussions of street harassment, the behavior itself leads to negative consequences. This issue may revolve around women, but it’s not just a women’s issue: men are damaged as a result of this behavior as well. Learning to address street harassment and finding new, positive ways of interacting between the genders is key to adapting to the changing gender dynamics of the 21^st century.

Sources:
Bowman, C. (1993). Street Harassment and the Informal Ghettoization of Women. Harvard

Law Review, 106(3), 517-580.

Caputi, Jane. Personal interview. 10 November 2014.

Hollaback! Hollaback.org, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.

Quinn, B. A. “Sexual Harassment And Masculinity: The Power And Meaning Of “Girl

Watching””Gender & Society: 386-402. Print.