Street Harassment: A Growing Epidemic

Cars racing, people shopping, buses coming and going.  A busy area, such as the streets surrounding Westgate Shopping Mall, is not where one would think a kidnapping could occur. However, on Tuesday September 16, at 4pm, a San Jose girl was kidnapped and sexually assaulted while waiting for her bus to arrive. The incident occurred at the busy intersection of Saratoga and Campbell Avenue. San Jose police said that around 4 pm two Hispanic men, most likely in their 30s, pulled up to the bus stop and forced the girl into their van, where they also sexually assaulted her.  The victim was later dropped off near Saratoga and Prospect Avenue, and the men drove away.  Police are still searching for the suspects and are asking for anyone with information to come forward.

While this occurred near Prospect High School, it is certainly possible that an incident like this could happen in the areas surrounding Lincoln.  One female student, who preferred to remain anonymous for security reasons, experienced a similar event while walking home, ”I was walking home…it was still daylight but the sun was setting, and I noticed a guy on a bike riding ahead of me in my direction. When he passed by we made eye contact, and a couple seconds after, I still heard the wheels of his bike behind me. Immediately I knew that he had turned back around and was behind me, and that something wasn’t right.”  The student said that during the incident she, felt “scared,” “nervous,” and “started walking faster… while making sure that I had my phone in my hand and walked through places I knew other people would be.”  This incident occurred in the streets surrounding Lincoln, and though shocking, this is only one of many incidents that have been reported.

In today’s society, many events like this occur to a rather large percentage of women.  In fact, a study conducted by the Stop Street Harassment organization found that out of 811 women surveyed, 75% have been followed in public, and 27% of the 75% have been followed at least six times.  Most often, this type of harassment is directed at females, but many men have experienced incidents such as this.  Another study by the Stop Street Harassment organization found that in a survey of 2,000 people 25% of males had experienced some form of street harassment.  One Lincoln student, Anthony Gonzales, mentioned that he also “experienced street harassment in the forms of being shouted at and being followed,” with all incidents occurring in the areas surrounding Lincoln High.

The effects of the types of events discussed leave a lasting impression on those targeted.  When we spoke with the female student she described how she used to feel very comfortable walking alone, but after the incident she felt a lot less safe and tries to avoid walking alone, even in the daylight.  “He took my freedom away,” she said, and though this happened to her, others were affected as well.  The student says that when she relayed the story to her family and friends, “they were rightfully disgusted and scared…everyone wanted to know what he looked like so they could stay safe too.”  Gonzales says that he thinks street harassment has a major effect on society, as harassment “begins to become part of the social norm.” He also explained how both the victim and the perpetrator are affected after the events occur, he says, “the victim begins to accept that they will be harassed and the harasser begins to accept that they can get away with harassment.”

Street safety has become a significant problem in today’s society.  Along with the Campbell Avenue kidnapping incident, news was made when a female student from the University of Virginia, named Hannah Graham, disappeared on September, 13.  Police have taken custody of Jesse L. Matthew Jr, a wanted fugitive, and suspected kidnapper of Hannah Graham.  Both the Virginia and Campbell incidents shed light on abduction and the dangers present in such situations, but in an effort to make our streets safer, other types of harassment need to be addressed as well.

Another, less threatening but more common form of harassment is catcalling.  Catcalling is when a pedestrian is the target of vulgar, often sexist, comments or gestures.  In a study of 225 male and female individuals, 99% said they experienced harassment in the form of vulgar or explicit comments, gestures or leering.  Men were included in the 99%, proving that both men and women are affected by catcalling.  However, most often, women are the targets of explicit comments or gestures.  Catcalling is extremely common and in a study of the Bay Area alone, 100% of females surveyed reported that they have been the subject of catcalling or other forms of street harassment.

Regarding the men affected by catcalling, a large percentage identify themselves as members of the LGBTQ community .  In a survey of 93,000 LGBTQ individuals in the European Union, at least half admitted to avoiding public spaces in order to prevent harassment.  Another survey of 331 men who identified as gay or bisexual found that 90% have been the subject of street harassment such as leering, due to their perceived sexual orientation.  While this form of street harassment affects a very broad span of people, it is most commonly directed at women.

When we interviewed the female student, she also described her experiences with catcalling.  She explained that she has been catcalled on many occasions and has become increasingly vocal against her harassers.  She says that catcalling also largely contributes to how safe someone feels in our city, “even when I respond to catcalls to let them know that it is unwanted, there’s always fear that I’m just making it worse since they could just decide to antagonize me even more.”   Catcalling is a major problem in society today, as it has so many negative effects on both parties involved, however many people refuse to accept the fact that it is indeed such a serious problem.  When asked why or why not she thought catcalling was a valid issue, the female student responded by  saying, “I definitely think it is a problem. The fact that I can’t even feel safe walking home in broad daylight is why.”  Clearly, this type of harassment is a universal problem that must be solved.

In order to prevent street harassment, we first must understand why it occurs.  When we spoke with Anthony Gonzales, he described catcalling as “degrading,” “disappointing,” and “disrespectful,” so why would anyone continue to exhibit such crude behavior?  Filmmaker Maggie Hadleigh-West cites the age old saying of “men will be men” as a reason street harassment towards women still exists.  Hadleigh-West explains that in order to stop street harassment, we, as a society, must first acknowledge that it is wrong and change the culture that “men have been indoctrinated into.”

Gonzales, too, explains that from his perspective, catcalling has to do with the competitive society men are born into, and that a large reason catcalling is still a problem is because men are still expected to be more powerful and stronger than women.  Gonzales goes on to explain that these reasons are not excuses, and that “personal determination to defy said standards also can play a role [in ending the problem]. If one really wants to defy social standards they can and will.”  

Both the female student and Gonzales agree that the best way to stop harassment is through education.  “We have to start at the core of the problem, and then work up from there. Teaching younger generations how to be respectful and decent people is the best bet,” said the female student.  As far as what you can do if you are feeling unsafe on the city streets, the San Jose Police Department has many suggestions including traveling in groups whenever possible, sticking to well-lighted and well-traveled streets, staying alert, and above all trusting your instincts.  If you or someone you know is being harassed, report it to an adult you trust, educate yourself regarding street harassment laws and be vocal about the effects of street harassment.  For more information you can visit  http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/ or http://www.ihollaback.org/.