Submitted by: Laura
Location: Yonge St outside of Wellesley station
Oddly enough, this happened during the 2009 Pride Parade! I got off at Wellesley to watch the parade and to wait for a few of my friends who were going to meet me outside the station. I walked up ahead a little so I could watch the parade while I was waiting, and as I was standing there this weird middle aged dude with mirrored sunglasses and long greasy hair started engaging me in conversation, asking me if I was here to see the parade (no shit) and that I was a gorgeous girl with lips that "looked like they would be nice to kiss", and made some awkward kissy faces and told me I should come to some party at his friend's apartment. Luckily, my friends called then and told me to meet them over at College instead, so I got to get on the subway and get the hell out of there.
It was a pretty gross experience now that I reflect on it, but the entire time I was laughing in my head, thinking it was absolutely hilarious that, out of all the places a straight girl can be hit on by a weird straight guy, it HAD to be the Gay Pride Parade.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
new MIT report on women's fear in transportation environments
Check out this new report by the Mineta Transportation Institute "How to Ease Women's Fear of Transportation Environments: Case Studies and Best Practices". It features the input of female riders, where this fear comes from, and the response from transit operators as well as grassroots initiatives like HollabackNYC and other groups who have joined the intitiative.
Monday, November 9, 2009
disgruntled employee: 1; creeper: 0
Submitted by: Lisa
Dude shows up at work in full 70s regalia... not really interested in anything other than chatting me up. But I was in a super grumpy mood and didn't feel like answering random personal questions about myself to a random creeper this time, so I called him out on it. And it felt great! After telling him it was none of his business where I was from (because what does that have to do with his desire or lack thereof to buy anything?) he left saying, "Shopping at this store is none of my business either." and walked away. So lame.
Dude shows up at work in full 70s regalia... not really interested in anything other than chatting me up. But I was in a super grumpy mood and didn't feel like answering random personal questions about myself to a random creeper this time, so I called him out on it. And it felt great! After telling him it was none of his business where I was from (because what does that have to do with his desire or lack thereof to buy anything?) he left saying, "Shopping at this store is none of my business either." and walked away. So lame.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
What if we did as much to prevent rape as we do to prevent H1N1?
By Meg Stone, as reposted from the Bitch Magazine website:
I spent most of this past spring and summer rolling my eyes every time I heard a news story about the swine flu. Almost every day local reporters got hysterical about 5 or 10 or 20 confirmed cases. Entire schools closed in response to a handful of kids with fevers, and as if there were no war in Afghanistan, no economic crisis, and no other epidemics claiming ten times as many lives, newscasters talked about H1N1 (the proper name for swine flu) for hours.
I have a degree in public health and my work focuses on preventing rape and other acts of violence and supporting survivors in healing from abuse. When I see all the attention swine flu is getting, I’m jealous. Other than intermittent news stories about sex offenders on the loose or why women who accuse professional athletes of rape are lying, sexual violence rarely gets any widespread coverage. Certainly no state of emergency declared by the President of the United States. (more)
I spent most of this past spring and summer rolling my eyes every time I heard a news story about the swine flu. Almost every day local reporters got hysterical about 5 or 10 or 20 confirmed cases. Entire schools closed in response to a handful of kids with fevers, and as if there were no war in Afghanistan, no economic crisis, and no other epidemics claiming ten times as many lives, newscasters talked about H1N1 (the proper name for swine flu) for hours.
I have a degree in public health and my work focuses on preventing rape and other acts of violence and supporting survivors in healing from abuse. When I see all the attention swine flu is getting, I’m jealous. Other than intermittent news stories about sex offenders on the loose or why women who accuse professional athletes of rape are lying, sexual violence rarely gets any widespread coverage. Certainly no state of emergency declared by the President of the United States. (more)
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Schrödinger’s Rapist: or a guy’s guide to approaching strange women without being maced
This article was brought to my attention by my friend Anita. I personally love that it doesn't throw out the idea of approaching women in public as wrong and to be avoided, but instead explains how to do it in a respectful way that takes the woman's personal space and limitations into account. Guys, it really is all about finding that balance between having yourself heard while still respecting the woman's right to be left alone should she make that clear. Afterall, no woman is going to respond positively to you if she's creeped out or has been made to feel uncomfortable by you. A really fascinating read!
---
Gentlemen. Thank you for reading.
Let me start out by assuring you that I understand you are a good sort of person. You are kind to children and animals. You respect the elderly. You donate to charity. You tell jokes without laughing at your own punchlines. You respect women. You like women. In fact, you would really like to have a mutually respectful and loving sexual relationship with a woman. Unfortunately, you don’t yet know that woman—she isn’t working with you, nor have you been introduced through mutual friends or drawn to the same activities. So you must look further afield to encounter her.
So far, so good. Miss LonelyHearts, your humble instructor, approves. Human connection, love, romance: there is nothing wrong with these yearnings.
Now, you want to become acquainted with a woman you see in public. The first thing you need to understand is that women are dealing with a set of challenges and concerns that are strange to you, a man. (read more)
---
Gentlemen. Thank you for reading.
Let me start out by assuring you that I understand you are a good sort of person. You are kind to children and animals. You respect the elderly. You donate to charity. You tell jokes without laughing at your own punchlines. You respect women. You like women. In fact, you would really like to have a mutually respectful and loving sexual relationship with a woman. Unfortunately, you don’t yet know that woman—she isn’t working with you, nor have you been introduced through mutual friends or drawn to the same activities. So you must look further afield to encounter her.
So far, so good. Miss LonelyHearts, your humble instructor, approves. Human connection, love, romance: there is nothing wrong with these yearnings.
Now, you want to become acquainted with a woman you see in public. The first thing you need to understand is that women are dealing with a set of challenges and concerns that are strange to you, a man. (read more)
Friday, October 30, 2009
observing the foot traffic at Queen and Jarvis
Submitted by: Anonymous
I was walking towards Queen & Jarvis to get to school. Two really scraggly-looking guys were standing at the crosswalk just staring me down as I was walking towards them, then as I walked past, one leaned in a bit and whispered that I looked cute. It wasn't flattering at all. It's not flattering having a stranger get into your personal space and try to force an interaction between the two of you. The sad thing is I've come to just expect it now, especially in that area.
I was walking towards Queen & Jarvis to get to school. Two really scraggly-looking guys were standing at the crosswalk just staring me down as I was walking towards them, then as I walked past, one leaned in a bit and whispered that I looked cute. It wasn't flattering at all. It's not flattering having a stranger get into your personal space and try to force an interaction between the two of you. The sad thing is I've come to just expect it now, especially in that area.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
more workplace pickups
Submitted by: Lisa
I was at work the other day and some random guy showed up, trying to pick me up. This happens almost every time I go to work but this instance especially got on my nerves right from the beginning when I saw his hoodie with "JUST SEX - NO RELATIONSHIP" in big bold letters across the back.
My co-worker was already helping him out but then he called me over and starting asking a bunch of personal questions about my love life and where I'm from... he started listing off about 20 different countries and would not go away. I kept trying to direct the conversation back to the work-related things but nothing was really working.
I wonder if this tactic ever works for guys like this, or if it's just because they get some sick pleasure over accosting girls while they're at work and can't escape or be outwardly rude, ESPECIALLY if they're very subtle in their harassment.
I was at work the other day and some random guy showed up, trying to pick me up. This happens almost every time I go to work but this instance especially got on my nerves right from the beginning when I saw his hoodie with "JUST SEX - NO RELATIONSHIP" in big bold letters across the back.
My co-worker was already helping him out but then he called me over and starting asking a bunch of personal questions about my love life and where I'm from... he started listing off about 20 different countries and would not go away. I kept trying to direct the conversation back to the work-related things but nothing was really working.
I wonder if this tactic ever works for guys like this, or if it's just because they get some sick pleasure over accosting girls while they're at work and can't escape or be outwardly rude, ESPECIALLY if they're very subtle in their harassment.
Friday, October 9, 2009
young women assaulted by Dufferin and Dupont Sts
By: Tamara Cherry, Sun Media
Toronto Police are looking for a lone suspect wanted in the sexual assault of a woman in a residential laneway.
The 26-year-old victim was walking near Dufferin and Dupont Sts. when the suspect approached her from behind, grabbed her by her throat and hair and dragged her to a nearby laneway where she was assaulted just before 4 a.m. on Saturday, police said today.
The man was described as white with an olive or tan complexion, 30 to 32 years old, about 5-foot-9, 160 to 170 pounds, with brown eyes, a baseball cap that was possibly white, a white zip-up jacket with a tall collar and dark blue jeans.
source
Toronto Police are looking for a lone suspect wanted in the sexual assault of a woman in a residential laneway.
The 26-year-old victim was walking near Dufferin and Dupont Sts. when the suspect approached her from behind, grabbed her by her throat and hair and dragged her to a nearby laneway where she was assaulted just before 4 a.m. on Saturday, police said today.
The man was described as white with an olive or tan complexion, 30 to 32 years old, about 5-foot-9, 160 to 170 pounds, with brown eyes, a baseball cap that was possibly white, a white zip-up jacket with a tall collar and dark blue jeans.
source
Friday, September 25, 2009
Calling all Artists!
HollabackTO is on the eve of producing new posters to plaster the city with, but we're kind of stuck in terms of coming up with a new, dynamic graphic to accompany it. There is where YOU come in!
We're run solely by volunteers and people committed to combating street harassment, so unfortunately we won't be able to pay you, but you'd be helping us out immensely! And you'd get to see your work all over the downtown core! We don't have any specific image in mind - just something you feel would draw the attention of a passerby who happened to stumble across one of our posters.
So if you're good with Photoshop and think you'd be able to help and want to bounce some ideas and images around, please email us at: hollabackTO@gmail.com
We're run solely by volunteers and people committed to combating street harassment, so unfortunately we won't be able to pay you, but you'd be helping us out immensely! And you'd get to see your work all over the downtown core! We don't have any specific image in mind - just something you feel would draw the attention of a passerby who happened to stumble across one of our posters.
So if you're good with Photoshop and think you'd be able to help and want to bounce some ideas and images around, please email us at: hollabackTO@gmail.com
Four teens charged in Parkdale sex assault
Tamara Baluja
Staff Reporter
Four teens were arrested today in the August sex assault and robbery of a 23-year-old woman in the Parkdale area.
Three 14-year old boys and one 15-year old boy have been charged with gang sexual assault, according to Toronto police.
Police said the woman was attacked on Aug. 25 around 3 a.m. by six black males in the front lobby of her apartment residence in the area of King St. West and Dufferin St.
She was then hauled into a stairwell where she was robbed and sexually assaulted.
The four teens arrested cannot be named under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
source
Staff Reporter
Four teens were arrested today in the August sex assault and robbery of a 23-year-old woman in the Parkdale area.
Three 14-year old boys and one 15-year old boy have been charged with gang sexual assault, according to Toronto police.
Police said the woman was attacked on Aug. 25 around 3 a.m. by six black males in the front lobby of her apartment residence in the area of King St. West and Dufferin St.
She was then hauled into a stairwell where she was robbed and sexually assaulted.
The four teens arrested cannot be named under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
source
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