Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
With the advent of Internet and camera phone technology, photographing and disseminating pictures of street harassers has emerged as a popular intervention.
In the summer of 2005, Thao Nguyen used her cell phone camera to photograph a man who committed a sex act in front of her in a New York subway car. That photograph, which she posted online on a photoblog, was subsequently published by numerous New York daily newspapers and circulated on the Internet, ultimately shaming the man into turning himself in.
But safety is a priority. If you are in a situation in which you feel unsafe at all, remove yourself from it as quickly as possible.
If you feel safe enough to respond to your harasser, do the following:
1. Name the behaviour
For example: ‘Do not make suggestive remarks to me. That is harassment’. You can also simply say in a strong voice, ‘Don't sexually harass women’ or “Stop! That is sexual harassment.”
2. Name the perpetrator
‘You, the driver of the white Toyota, do not ogle me.’
3. Use strong body language
Look the harasser in the eye, speak in a strong, clear voice.
4. Do not apologise or ask a question
Don’t say, ‘Excuse me...’ ‘Do you realise...’ ‘I’m sorry, but...’ ‘Please...’
5. Do not get into a dialogue with the harasser
Do not answer any of the harasser’s questions. Simply repeat your statement or leave.
6. Do not swear or lose your temper
For them to see you getting angry or upset just encourages them to continue to harass both you and other people. In addition, if a passer-by hears you shout out and swear when they have seen or heard nothing the harasser has done, this, again, benefits the harasser, who can put on a ‘Can you believe this woman?’ look. If you remain calm, it will be clear that you are the person being harassed and the perpetrator is in the wrong. It will also take away the reward (upsetting you) for their action.
