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David 
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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| Post subject: Street harassment |  |
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This video shot in New York has been generating some discussion in recent days:
http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-29/video-shows-woman-harassed-on-streets-of-new-york/5852552
| Quote: | The video follows actor Shoshana Roberts, who is clad in black jeans and a crewneck T-shirt, for 10 hours.
She received more than 100 comments and even more whistles and winks.
Roberts, who remains silent throughout the clip, decided to make the video with her filmmaker boyfriend, Rob Bliss, after becoming tried of being shouted at and approached by men on the streets.
Men yell out, "Hey, baby," "Hey, beautiful," "How are you this morning?" and "Have a nice evening" to try and engage her.
One man walked beside her for several minutes after making a comment. |
The footage seems to suggest that this is a very common experience for (at least young, conventionally attractive) women. Is this something you've experienced or witnessed in Melbourne or other Australian cities? If you're a man, do you tend to do this sort of thing?
I have to confess it's never occurred to me to 'cat-call' or 'wolf-whistle' at someone I found attractive. I'm sure men who do it don't mean any harm by it, but the responses of many women seem to suggest that this is a) very common and b) something they feel threatened by.
While I think I'd probably appreciate being complimented on my looks, it'd be pretty annoying to be told to smile by random strangers. I'm really curious to know what goes through people's minds when they do that.
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Mugwump
Joined: 28 Jul 2007
Location: Between London and Melbourne
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Seems innocent until it affects you, I guess. I think it's one where we should listen to those affected by it : if it is really distressing, then intervene if you see it. But unless it really is that distressing to many women, or has some more sinister consequence, then perhaps it's just one of life's annoyances, of which we all have our share, in some form or other.
What goes through their minds ? An assertion of personal masculinity and comforting membership of a masculine group, I'd imagine. I doubt they'd do it when not within audible range of co-workers.
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Two more flags before I die! |
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David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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I'm sure that's the motivation in many cases, though most of the guys in that video seemed to be operating alone. I suspect a few of them may have had mental health issues.
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Mugwump
Joined: 28 Jul 2007
Location: Between London and Melbourne
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| David wrote: | | I'm sure that's the motivation in many cases, though most of the guys in that video seemed to be operating alone. Perhaps people with existing dysfunctions? |
Oh, I didn't see the video, sorry. Bang goes that theory, then ! Maybe it's like spam - for every 100 incidents, it only takes one positive response to reinforce it ?
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Two more flags before I die! |
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think positive
Side By Side
Joined: 30 Jun 2005
Location: somewhere
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Yeah, saw that on Facebook, was thinking of donning simular attire, sunnies and hitting the same streets!
Is that the wrong reaction?! 
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You cant fix stupid, turns out you cant quarantine it either! |
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HAL
Please don't shout at me - I can't help it.
Joined: 17 Mar 2003
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| I might say no. |
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think positive
Side By Side
Joined: 30 Jun 2005
Location: somewhere
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I like u Hal
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You cant fix stupid, turns out you cant quarantine it either! |
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HAL
Please don't shout at me - I can't help it.
Joined: 17 Mar 2003
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| I am happy that it pleases you. |
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Wokko 
Come and take it.
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
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| think positive wrote: | Yeah, saw that on Facebook, was thinking of donning simular attire, sunnies and hitting the same streets!
Is that the wrong reaction?! |
Well it took her 10 hours to get that footage in a shady neighbourhood in New York so you might want to take a sandwich.
Two points, I'll let one of the youtube comments make my first one
"I'm a woman. And I took my own head count. 15 of these men were simply saying "hello" or "have a nice day/evening". Half of them said "God bless you". A couple said "damn" and 2 of them followed her simply trying to carry a conversation. Nowhere in this video did I see anything REMOTELY close to cat calling or sexual harassment. None of these men commented on her body parts, none of them touched her and none of them said anything to offend her. I'm trying to figure out how simply telling someone to have a nice day is considered sexual harassment and cat calling. "
So 10 hours to cherry pick the 'worst' 2 minutes worth of people saying hello to you, in the rudest most aggressive city in the world in a dodgy area.
Secondly men who struggle to find women to date are told to 'just have confidence and approach a girl', NOW that generally polite confidence gets you featured in an internet hit piece.
Women wonder where all the men have gone, why they can't get married or even find a long term boyfriend? They're giving up sweetheart, because you're sending out messages like this. |
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Wokko
Come and take it.
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
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think positive
Side By Side
Joined: 30 Jun 2005
Location: somewhere
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I want his number too!!
id be the girl doing the head swivel!! that's HOT!! don't think id be game to say anything though!! (but id be thinking breakfast!!) noticed a lot of guys yelling at HIM too!!
its funny, I have cracked it with hubby for perving (long time ago, now its like meh!) but recently id be like "wow, that womans worked out, how good does she look!!"
-and the parody is pretty cool!!
seriously, they are compliments, its not like they are asking for a HJ! if I was a walking down the street and I heard "Hot Damn" id wiggle harder!!
now scuse me whle I shower, just killed it in the Gym, Hawaii in just over 2 weeks, gotta pump the guns for that black t-shirt!! cheers
(your post above the videos got me cheering again, yes we all need to lighten up!)
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You cant fix stupid, turns out you cant quarantine it either! |
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David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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| Wokko wrote: | | Women wonder where all the men have gone, why they can't get married or even find a long term boyfriend? They're giving up sweetheart, because you're sending out messages like this. |
But do you think many relationships are really started this way? If most women really do feel so threatened/annoyed by this behaviour (whether you think it's justified or not), wouldn't it be helpful for men like this to understand that what they're doing is pointless?
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All watched over by machines of loving grace |
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OEP
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
Location: Perth
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| David wrote: | | Wokko wrote: | | Women wonder where all the men have gone, why they can't get married or even find a long term boyfriend? They're giving up sweetheart, because you're sending out messages like this. |
But do you think many relationships are really started this way? If most women really do feel so threatened/annoyed by this behaviour (whether you think it's justified or not), wouldn't it be helpful for men like this to understand that what they're doing is pointless? |
For the most part their just trying to talk to her and have her engage them in conversation, if a guy can't do that with a girl how else are they meant to meet them. I guess they could throw a piece of paper at her and hope she reads it.
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A Collingwood supporter since the egg was inseminated. |
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David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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Laughed out loud at that second one. Great parody. 
And the first one does make a good point, that this isn't just about women (and a guy in another comment thread pointed out that goths and punks cop much worse harassment). But perhaps the issue here is not that only women are victims, but that this kind of harassment is a problem regardless of who is being targeted.
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All watched over by machines of loving grace |
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think positive
Side By Side
Joined: 30 Jun 2005
Location: somewhere
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Would it really bother you to be "harassed" like that? Like just occasionally, which, quite frankly is all it was in so long a period!
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You cant fix stupid, turns out you cant quarantine it either! |
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