Author Archives: Alysia Christiani

My name is Bibi Marissa Khan. I am a 15 year old female. As a young Guyanese teenager I would like to address one of the main issues in society and all around the world – which is Street Harassment. Street Harassment is a form of sexual harassment that consists of unwanted comments also catcalling by strangers .

I participated in this campaign because I feel that young girls and women should know that they are not the only victims of street harassment. It happens to many girls and women in everyday life. I also have been harassed.  When it happens, I want to answer the harasser but I do not have the will power to do so.

Let us work together to put an end to this.

I have seen street harassment occurring everyday but have not personally intervened in those situations due to 1. not wanting an argument with the harasser and 2. I believe he really and truly doesn’t know better.

So, when this campaign was being formulated I thought this may be a chance for me to indirectly target those involved in this behavior.

Personally, as a guy, I can honestly say I’ve never catcalled at a girl. Reason being, and here is where I think guys get it wrong, the average Joe on the street believes that if he gives a girl a compliment about her body, her face or some other feature that she’d want to be with him. It’s very strange how guys act around women. I remember once when I was playing cricket,  a girl passed by and my fellow mates started calling at her. What caught my attention at the time was what the umpire said. His words were, “’is like dog season on or something.”

I was puzzled at his comment but when you think of it, when a female dog is in heat the males lose all sense of control and would fight and push and nag at each other for the female.  I saw this exact behaviour in these guys. I didn’t know why this was so. I wondered why I’ve never acted like this. Then I did the math and concluded that it’s all due to socialization. I was just raised differently. I’ve never seen my dad or anyone in my close quarters act like that.

I believe it’s like a virus, that behaviour. Maybe if I had stayed with those mates and became their friends I would have changed and lost my decency. I do feel that many times these guys just act or do things to make their friends feel they are cool and have ‘swag’.

If only someone would call these guys out,  pull them away from their environment and put them into environments which teach and encourage proper  behavior.

I do know it’s a reflex to fit in and to follow the masses. Maybe a change in their surroundings would  help them see things differently. Maybe even have a girl whom these guys are troubling, stop and have a chat with them, tell them how it makes her feel. I do believe that this project’s posters and  objectives will send a message and spark a thought with these guys and girls who like to catcall at others.

I am confused by Street Harassment. What can someone gain by calling someone else, “Nice bamsie “or “fat pum-pum” on the road? What kind of person does that make you? If they reply or smile, what kind of person are they? Some may say it makes you brave and bold, however, in every “brave warrior there is a fool,” and only a fool would want a stranger that would answer to such remarks. Unfortunately, the actions of the past have not created an attitude of respect in all communities and social groups.

I believe street harassment is an empty action used to fill the doers need for attention and self-importance. The need to be validated or noticed is unfortunately something persons of all walks of life may go through. These acts have a negative impact on a society as it creates a fear or discomfort in unwilling by-standers and victims, disrespects the victims and the attacker and the more it happens the more acceptable it seems yet it is of no benefit to anyone. The best way to feel important and attract attention is to make others feel important but respectfully.

You know Street Harassment is an issue that is not talked about really. Yet it affects so many persons across all parts of the country. I didn’t realize how many until I had watched a TED Talk video about harassment in Indian with my aunt and grandmother. After watching the video they started talking about the harassment they and their friends suffered and it hit home. I don’t want anyone to have a fear of walking the streets or to deal with the constant noise of an arrogant ignorant buffoon and such a person isn’t healthy for a society or the development of a potential tourism nation.

I have been attacked by street harassers and this is something that happens to males too so you shouldn’t be too surprised. Stop Street Harassment.org updated definition of street harassment is:

“Gender-based street harassment is unwanted comments, gestures, and actions forced on a stranger in a public place without their consent and is directed at them because of their actual or perceived sex, gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation.

Street harassment includes unwanted whistling, leering, sexist, homophobic or transphobic slurs, persistent requests for someone’s name, number or destination after they’ve said no, sexual names, comments and demands, following, flashing, public masturbation, groping, sexual assault, and rape.”

Thus many persons have been victims of street harassment and so have I. I was about 14 or 16 on my way to return a book to the library in my neighbourhood and a group of guys, basketballers, bigger than me were walking down the street in my direction. I’ll give them this I was awkward with being social even walking past people was awkward for me. So as I was passing one with a basketball looked at me and asked in an unclear voice “Do you know Marvin? The one that sings” I said quietly and awkwardly replied “Who?” and immediately another one turned around, as I was now behind them, and shouted “GAY!!” Now this was the first time something like that ever happened to me and I was shocked but I kept walking I clutched my book I was returning and kept walking. I replayed the situation a number of times in my head before I got to the library. It made me feel like an outcast like if I was actually gay or something. I already didn’t like going on the road after that it just made me more self conscious. I still see some of the guys around but they don’t say anything I guess they either grew up or because I walk with a knife now.

I feel sorry for persons, male or female, that do this act. The most powerful and influential persons in the world have charm and there is a big difference between charm and insults. Persons with charm you want them to tell you something but the individuals that throw unwanted remarks are those that make themselves the like the words they let loose, unwanted and unnecessary.

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