STATEN ISLAND, N.Y – In 2019, women across generations are taking a stand against sexual harassment and assault. #MeToo, Times UP, and Hollaback! are prime examples of movements that are bringing these issues to light.
While foundations such as those are propelling progress forward, society still has a long way to go when it comes to different forms of harassment.
Street harassment, which is more commonly known as “catcalling,” usually entails a loud whistle or comment of a sexual nature made by a man or group of men to a passing woman. In some cases, catcalling involves honking car horns at passing women, flashing vulgar gestures, self exposure to a woman, and even inappropriate grabbing.
Women on Staten Island aren’t immune to it.
Women recently questioned at the Staten Island Ferry shared their experiences with catcalling.
“Just walking to school or to the store, some guys try to talk to me, like, ‘Oh, how old are you? What’s your name? You look so pretty,’ and when you deny them, they start calling you out and get angry,” said one young woman, May, just 13. “I get scared because they are a lot older than me. It makes me feel uncomfortable. I don’t even like to walk out because guys ask me weird questions. It’s just very uncomfortable.”
Another group of young ladies were asked if they had ever been catcalled. One, Abigail, 16, of New Springville, immediately answered:
“Yeah, at Port (Port Richmond High School),'' she said. “There are a lot of guys outside the school, who just look at you. It doesn’t matter if you’re with your parents, they’ll just stare at you or say ‘hey’ or whatever, and really focus on you.”
Why engage in this behavior?
William Castello, a professor at St. John’s University, said low self-esteem is to blame.
“There is a competition to be boldest, strongest most macho, generally driven by rampant lack of self esteem, disappointment and frustration with life in general,” Castello said. “It is a sign of a rough and rude upbringing, which lends itself to a competition of sorts among the groups ... kind of a ‘oneupsmanship’ of who’s worse than the rest.”
While most catcalling men would argue that their comments are purely complementary and should not be considered a big deal, this type of harassment can easily instill fear and even leave long-lasting psychological effects, experts say.
Geraldine Cicero, a sociology professor at St. John’s University, shared her own personal experience and expertise on this social behavior.
She described an incident that occurred when she was just 10 or 11 years old. All these years later, she clearly remembers the time a car full of young men slowed down beside her, rolled down their windows, and began shouting at her.
She was advised by her friend to not look at them and keep walking.
Cicero said the anger and sadness she experienced was something you simply dealt with at the time.
Unfortunately, even in today’s social climate, women are still expected to simply ignore the shouting and whistling.
Referring to such incidents simply as ‘catcalling’ is infuriating, she said. "The term minimizes the act as well as the impact,'' she said. "At the very least, it’s disrespectful. More accurately, it’s a form of objectification, and as I see it, an expression of hostility. No matter how innocuous some may believe, catcalling, typically done by men to women, is a form of harassment and degradation. It’s unacceptable.”
Over half of respondents noticed that they’ve changed their clothing, refused a social event, chose different transportation options or felt distracted at work/school. street harassment.
Some of the report’s findings:
- Over half of respondents noticed that they’ve changed their clothing, refused a social event, chose different transportation options, or felt distracted at work/school.
- Some respondents note that they moved cities or changed jobs because of street harassment.
The National Organization for Women (NOW) reiterates that street harassment is more than just rudeness.
“In the context of gender, harassment often ends up being a way for men to exert control over women and their bodies,'' the organization says. "Shouting a crude comment about a woman’s appearance suggests entitlement to her body. Groping or stalking or simply standing too close without a woman’s permission shows entitlement to her space. Expecting a woman to talk to you while or after you harass her displays entitlement to her time.”
Although the subject is uncomfortable, more and more women are conjuring the strength to stand up for themselves against harassment.
A woman from Mariners Harbor shared the emotions she experienced after she said she was recently harassed at her place of employment.
“I noticed I went through changes through the whole process," she said. “First, I actually felt embarrassed that I was harassed. Then, I felt sharing would be too revealing and I also felt that I wouldn’t be heard, or me speaking up wouldn’t make a difference.”
She said when she spoke up about it she felt a sense of relief, but still doubted herself.
"Harassment is not discriminatory, but it is happening and it will continue, as long as you let it,” she said.
Stop Street Harassment suggests several ways to deal with the issue.
Among them:
- Respond: If you feel safe enough to do so, assertively respond to the harassers calmly, firmly and without insults or personal attacks to let them know that their actions are unwelcome, unacceptable and wrong.
- Step In: Intervene when someone else is being harassed to help them out of the situation and let the harasser know that their actions are not condoned by others. Ask them if they want help and what they’d like you to do or simply check in to see if they’re OK. Men engaging in this tactic can be particularly powerful, since men (the majority of street harassers) look to other men for approval.
- Report to Employer: If the harassers work for an identifiable company, call or write the company to let them know that their employees are harassing people on the job and why that is unacceptable.