Cat-calling is one of those phenomenons multitudes of women deal with every day. Sometimes simply getting from Point A to Point B can be filled with more annoying comments, remarks and sexist innuendos than anyone should have to endure in an entire year. What is amazing is the fact that women in general do not respond! Making a smarmy remark while a woman is rushing to work is unlikely to get a response, let alone a date, yet men do it anyway. A nonprofit group called Hollaback! Has produced an eye-opening video everyone must watch in which Shoshana Roberts is verbally harassed 108 times in New York City.
The video 10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman was shot in August and intends to raise awareness and money for victims of street harassment. It follows a woman who spent 10 hours walking the streets of New York City, and in that time she endured 108 instances of cat-calling, numerous lewd sounds and a few extra creepy dudes who just decided to walk beside her with the hopes she would talk to them.
Many men made comments about her figure, shouting, "Damn, girl!" and "Nice!" — and even demanding she "say thank you!"
Shoshana Roberts is the woman in the video, and it was filmed by her boyfriend walking ahead of her wearing a backpack with a camera strapped to it.
Emily May, executive director of Hollaback!, is hoping people who view the video will understand how uncomfortable the harassment actually is:
"I want people to see it and say, 'Holy crap.' All of these smaller comments add up when you're constantly bombarded throughout the day about how you look — it's the sum of it all. We hope people walk away with an understanding about how it feels."
Check out the video below and tell us your thoughts. Have you been a victim of street harassment yourself? What do you think can be done in an attempt to get these instances under control?
Tell us in the comments below.
