This is how change happens – NYC hearing on street harassment

Elizabeth Mendez Berry recently wrote an op-ed about street harassment (and mentions my book, Stop Street Harassment). It was published in El Diario, the largest Spanish language newspaper in the country. People in power read op-eds and people in power read hers.

Because of her op-ed, the NYC Council’s Committee on Women’s Issues is holding a hearing on “Street Harassment of Women and Girls.”

The hearing will take place on Thursday, October 28 at 1 p.m. in the 14th floor committee room at 250 Broadway. I will be one of the people testifying about the problem of street harassment, along with RightRides, HollaBack, and Girls for Gender Equity. This is my first time testifying at a hearing and I’m very excited!

The hearing is open to the public, so I encourage anyone who can come to do so. This is an amazing opportunity for us to tell people in power what it’s really like out there for women. So if you can, please show your support and solidarity for this issue and attend. Let’s pressure the government into taking action and creating change. We deserve the right to be safe and to have equal access to public spaces!

13 Responses to This is how change happens – NYC hearing on street harassment

  1. Alan says:

    I’ll be there!

  2. Janay says:

    This is really great. I wish that there was a hearing in DC so that I could attend.

  3. B. says:

    Very encouraging news indeed!!

    Thanks for all you guys are doing. This makes me feel good.

  4. Clarice says:

    It’s a shame they don’t do these things in the uk! I don’t even know if i could get hold of the stop street harassment book. Do any of you know if i could order one online?

  5. Emily May says:

    Hey! It actually wasn’t the op-ed, it was complaints from parents whose schoolkids were getting harassed on the way to school. Either way, exciting! And I’ll see you there.

  6. @Emily thanks. Elizabeth told me they contacted her because of her op-ed and since she cited my book in it, they also wanted me to speak. So perhaps it’s both reasons. See you there!

  7. Gina says:

    I will be there and I’m bringing my mom to represent two generations of harassed women – enough! thank you for setting-up this hearing and we hope that it will create a global framework to ensure the rights and freedoms of women everywhere.

  8. @Alan, @Beckie, @Gina – thanks for coming out next week! Gina, it’s actually the NYC Council Committee on Women’s Issues who is organizing the event. Good for them, right?!

  9. @Clarice have u connected with the UK Anti-Street Harassment Campaign? I’m sure they have ways you can become involved. My book is available on Amazon.com.

  10. clarice says:

    Oh is it? I’ll have to order one on there. No i haven’t joined the uk anti street harassment campaign? How do i do that? Thanks for posting my recent blog btw!

  11. @clarice no problem. thanks for contributing to the blog. here’s the link to the UK group: http://ashcampaign.org/ they were london-focused until about 2 weeks ago and now they’re for the whole UK b/c of interest in other areas.

  12. Clarice says:

    Thank you, thats good.

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