Meet Us On The Street
The week of March 18-24 is not just a week of finals and spring break activities. It is in fact the week of a gender-focused anti-harassment movement called “Meet Us On the Street.”
Founded by Holly Kearl (aka the women behind the blog Stop Street Harassment), she created this movement after feeling enraged by the stories of harassment posted onto her website. On the website The Wip, Kearl writes, “street harassment is portrayed as complimentary, a minor annoyance, or the woman’s fault…Street harassment makes many women feel like they must be on guard in public as they constantly assess their surroundings, scowl, avoid eye contact, and have cell phones ready in case they need to call for help.” She makes a great point. Street harassment is scary, but it also makes women perceive her every day environment differently than a man would. How can women feel safe when they are the main targets of harassment? Kearl’s research points out “on at least a monthly basis, 45 percent of women avoid being in public alone at night and 40 percent avoid being in public alone period. One in five women moved neighborhoods to avoid harassment and one in ten changed jobs because of harassers along their commute or outside their worksite.” If these statistics tell us anything, it is that we have a serious problem that needs to be dealt with.
Last year, over 2,000 people from thirteen different countries supported efforts to eliminate and protest the prevalence of street harassment. Now that March is about to roll around again, it is time for the people of San Luis Obispo to join the effort. The movement’s website gives six ways you can be an activist during this week. You can talk to your friends/family/coworkers/peers about street harassment, raise awareness online, use art to make a statement, and engage, evaluate, and educate your community. Check their website for more information on how to be an activist.
If finals take over your life that week, then try to be an activist against street harassment in your every day life. Using your tech knowledge, artistic talents, research abilities, etc. can truly make our streets safer for everyone.
Cal Poly has a New Volleyball Coach
This past September, Cal Poly fired volleyball coach Jon Stevenson after players reported acts of sexual harassment. According to The San Luis Obispo Tribune, an investigation report “included accusations of Stevenson attempting to pull one player’s shorts down, commenting about the sex lives of his players and kissing a player on the cheek and whispering, ‘I love you.’”
Thankfully, the reports were not taken lightly. The allegations are infuriating for several reasons, but the violation of the players’ trust is what truly makes this unforgivable. The coach-player relationship is one that must be preserved with respect and boundaries. A coach can easily take advantage of his power and the vulnerability of the player, and no one should have to feel violated in an environment that is supposed to be safe and fun. The new volleyball coach Sam Crosson has to earn the trust of people who had to turn to higher authorities to fight their injustices. Let us hope that the Cal Poly volleyball team has a great 2012!
no comments“I’ve Got Your Back” Campaign
At the Change the Status Quo Conference (details in the post below), we really want to discuss “the bystander.” People should strive to be independent and self-reliant, but being a victim of street/sexual harassment is not a choice. It is something uncomfortable, confusing, scary and upsetting, and it is not always easy to react in the way you want to. However, the bystander can act. The bystander is often not paralyzed by fear, can safely use a phone, show support for the victim, and/or intervene.
Hollaback! has a campaign called “I’ve Got Your Back” that addresses the need for bystander intervention and support. It started with Nicole Briggs, a woman who stood up to a sexual harasser on a subway, and with the assistance of bystanders, had him arrested. Her actions were documented on a cell phone and this video made the rounds on the Internet, getting over one million views on YouTube. Briggs is now a regular contributor to Hollaback and a great example for all of us.
Hollaback! (and hopefully this conference workshop) will fight the bystander effect tooth and nail. We can stop people becoming victims by looking out for the strangers, neighbors, homies, family members, roommates, etc. who want to walk down the street without fear.
no commentsWomen’s Safety Committee and Change the Status Quo
Hollaback! SLO is presenting at the Winter 2012 meeting of the Women’s Safety Committee at Cal Poly today (Jan 31, 2012)! We are very excited about this opportunity, and hope that we can develop a partnership with this organization.
Earlier this quarter, we ran our first workshop as part of the Gender Equity Center’s “Week of Wellness” at Cal Poly (Jan 10, 2012). It was attended by 15-16 students and staff members.
On Sat Feb 11, we are running a workshop at the 10th annual Change the Status Quo conference at Cal Poly. Change the Status Quo is designed to educate and network activists on multiple issues, bringing together people who share a passion for making a difference in their community and the world. The conference encourages participants to challenge stereotypes, demand solutions, and use education to make lasting changes. The theme—Educate, Motivate and then Activate—aims to give participants tangible tools to be effective advocates for social change.
We are thrilled that our CSQ workshop proposal was accepted! Learn more about the Change the Status Quote conference and register here: http://studentlife.calpoly.edu/communitycenter/quo/index.asp
Police chief accused of sexually assaulting her officers (Paso Robles, CA)
Law enforcement officers have names for the girls offering them sex on the beat: Badge Bunny. Holster Sniffer. Uniform Jumper. Handcuff Hugger. In Paso Robles, brethren in blue have one more: The Chief.
A flurry of complaints and mounting formal grievances alleging sexual misconduct, illegal management practices and retaliation have been lodged against Paso Robles’ first female chief of police, Lisa Solomon. Those known to have made accusations against the chief include five current and former police officers, as well as a growing record of non-sworn police department personnel.
The criticisms against Solomon include allegations of sexual assaults, many committed in the presence of others, repeated affairs with a list of subordinates, and bearing a child out of wedlock fathered by a former lieutenant in the department. …
Read More: http://calcoastnews.com/2012/01/police-chief-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-her-officers/
Protests Around the World: Street Harassment in Malawi
Hastings Kamuzu Banda, a former dictator of Malawi, banned women from wearing shorts skirts and pants from the years of 1963 to 1994. While this ridiculous law ended eighteen years ago, there have been repercussions in this African nation. According to The Washington Post, men in the mainly southern parts of Malawi have been stripping women of their skirts and pants. The article states, “strains of conservatism remain in the impoverished, largely rural nation. Some of the street vendors who have attacked women in recent days claimed it was un-Malawian to dress in miniskirts and pants. Some said it was a sign of loose morals or prostitute.”
However, women are not submitting to these degrading and humiliating acts of aggression. On January 20th, about 3,000 Malawi women went to the streets to protest against the harassment. They wore shirts denouncing the street vendors, chanted as they walked down the streets together, and demanded that they are treated fairly. CNN quotes Executive Director of The [Malawi] National Women ‘s Lobby Group Faustace Chirwa who said, “like a lot of Africa, there is a culture of instilling fear in women because people know they are voiceless even though they are guaranteed equality on paper.” Fortunately, the Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has sided with these women and condemned the attackers as well as promised consequences for these appalling actions.
It is important to hear the stories of women in other countries, especially because we are all working for the same goals: equality and safety. The thousands of women that came out on Friday to express their desire for these goals are the reason why our movement is so important. Who thinks some of the protestors would be the perfect creators of the Malawi chapter of Hollaback?
no commentsStalking on Campus: A Silent Epidemic
The first steps to combating this crime include taking it seriously, having an appropriate policy, and training campus personnel and public safety officers on how to effectively respond.
Twenty-four people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States, and a significant portion of these individuals attend, are employed by or are patients of universities, K-12 districts and hospitals.
It is for this reason that Campus Safety magazine has developed a series of articles that aims to provide greater awareness and information on these troublesome, yet underreported crimes. The first installment, which follows, is on stalking.
Read More: http://www.campussafetymagazine.com/Channel/Public-Safety/Articles/2012/01/Stopping-Stalkers.aspx
UPD Safety Advisory – Sexual Assault (Jan 20, 2012)
The University Police Department is issuing this alert because of the proximity of Cal Poly to the pedestrian path leading towards Mustang Village.
UPD has no information to indicate that the subjects are on campus.
On Tuesday evening, 1/17/12, a female was walking on the pedestrian path from Cal Poly campus toward Mustang Village when she was approached from behind by three males. One of the male suspects grabbed the female and pulled her to the ground. At about the same time, a bicyclist was riding near their location and it appeared that the assault was interrupted by the bicyclist. The three male suspects ran from the area.
The University Police Department recommends community members exercise caution when traveling at night: maintain sobriety, be aware of your surroundings, and travel with companions as often as possible.
Dial 9-1-1 for emergencies. Contact police immediately if you identify risk to your safety or the safety of others.
Text any anonymous tips or information to calpoly@tipnow.org
The flyer and press release may be viewed by going to the Crime Alert on the UPD website, News and Information page http://www.afd.calpoly.edu/police/news.asp?pid=3
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University Police Department
police@calpoly.edu
(805)756-2281
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