Gender-Based Public Harassment, or Street Harassment:
Simply by being female in public, girls and women can become the target of leering, whistles, honks, sexually charged comments, vulgar gestures, masturbation, stalking, sexual touching or grabbing, assault, and even murder. This behavior is called "gender-based public sexual harassment," "public gender harassment," "eve teasing," and "street harassment."

Not only is does this behavior assume women's availability when she's in public, invades her privacy and is often annoying, it also makes many women worried for their safety and feel unwelcome in public places. While women's perception of men's attention in public varies depending on factors like what the men are doing, the women's personal history with violence, age differences, race differences/similarities, socioeconomic differences, and how safe they feel at the time, no woman wants to be insulted, groped, stalked, or assaulted. Many women don't want to be bothered at all; and don't assume all women are heterosexual!

Girls and women should have just as much right as boys and men to be in public spaces without being treated as public property and worse. The harassment and assault must stop!

• Share your stories anonymously to raise awareness about the problem.
• Read strategies and tactics for dealing with street harassment. Share your own.
• Read facts and statistics about street harassment from academic studies.
• Find resources. 

The Blame Game:
Over and over, women are blamed for men's behavior because of the way they look or dress. Some men (and women) claim women like it and are asking for the attention (for examples, see comment postings on stories like this one and this one). Just because a woman is in public does not mean she wants to be commented on or touched by strangers. If a man can't keep from yelling disrespectful comments or keep his hands to himself when he sees a woman in public, he shouldn't be allowed to be public. The problem is HIM not HER.

How to Talk to Women in Public:
Note: Women are not in public for men's pleasure and deserve a right to privacy. It is not men's right to approach and talk to any woman he wants.

When necessary, how should a man interact with a woman in public? Politely and respectfully. Instead of whistling, honking or yelling something about the way she looks as a way of saying hi, treat her like a normal human being and actually say hello and smile or nod.

If you want to meet or talk to a woman, follow a similar pattern. Say hello and if she says hello back and doesn't hurry away or look away, then you can try to politely and respectfully start a conversation. Don't approach her in an isolated area or at night because that makes most women nervous or scared. Don't touch her or call her names. If she looks busy, distracted, or nervous, leave her alone! She may not have the time or inclination to talk right then. Or you may be the third or fourth man to approach her that day - even if done politely this is wearisome and annoying. Don't be rude if she doesn't talk to you. You don't know her personal history or what's on her mind or her schedule. Be respectful of her as a human.

For more, here's an entry on the Baltimore Sun blog: "Flirtation or harassment?"

We need men as allies!
Read about how men can help stop street harassment. I recommend reading Brian Martin's "Men: Help stop public harassment," Jackson Katz’s The Macho Paradox: Why Some Men Hurt Women and How All Men Can Help and Todd Denny’s Unexpected Allies: Men Who Stop Rape