Catcalling: How a woman can respond to street harassment
'02.09.2020'
Source: Rambler
Women often face verbal harassment from men in public. Street harassment is called catcalling. Rambler will tell you why the representatives of the stronger sex allow themselves such liberties and how girls should react to them.
First of all, it should be understood that catcalling is a form of harassment, which includes greasy compliments, whistles, clattering, smacking smacks and obscene gestures. Every woman has come across this at least once. Moreover, this behavior of men is in no way connected with how the girl looks. They harass both those in revealing outfits and those in long dresses.
The reasons for this defiant behavior of the stronger sex:
- for fun - some men find it funny;
- ignoring other people's feelings - guys do not believe that they are violating the personal boundaries of women, for them this is nothing more than a manifestation of sympathy;
- a sense of impunity - abusers enjoy how their victim reacts and know that they will get nothing for it;
- displacement of self-doubt - some thus assert themselves, trying to humiliate the girl;
- the behavior of a "real man" is surprising, but some really think that this is how you need to get to know women.
Be that as it may, catcalling hurts and hurts the girls. Most try to ignore this behavior on the part of men, because they simply do not know how to deal with it. Nevertheless, such antics frighten the fairer sex, leaving a residue of helplessness and resentment in the soul.
On the subject: The silent victims of harassment: 4 reasons why women endure harassment
But there are times when catcalling turns into more persistent harassment, which can already cause physical harm. Therefore, in such situations, girls need to follow some rules:
- Make eye contact - do not be afraid to look the offender in the eye and do it as firmly and confidently as possible. In most cases, this can serve as a reason for a man to think about his behavior;
- making sure you're not in danger - it's important to understand that this is nothing more than verbal harassment. If you feel that the man might cross the line, try to get away quickly, hail a taxi, or ask for help. Your main goal is to increase the distance with the aggressor;
- to speak calmly - you should not lisp with the offender and, moreover, be rude. This can provoke physical aggression. So tell your man firmly that this behavior is unpleasant for you.
