NoWomanEver Hashtag Street Harassment

Photographed by Georgina Martin.

Street harassment is an alarming problem that impacts women of all ages, no matter what they're wearing, who they're with, or how they attempt to avoid it. But some women are taking to Twitter to air out the gross things men have said to them and highlight how no woman has ever appreciated, fallen for, or enjoyed the offensive and often graphic street harassment they endure daily. It can be everything from whistling to blocking a person's path to groping, and is designed to make women feel unsafe, as blogger CeCe Olisa explained in an essay for Refinery29. As she also pointed out, street harassment says something about the abuser — not the person being harassed. "Street harassment is damaging and it's mean, but we can do something about it," she wrote. "We can not let it ruin our self-esteem and dash our sense of self-worth, both of which were hard-earned for me." Many women agree, and are using the hashtag #NoWomanEver on Twitter to express their opinions. The trending hashtag shows how street harassers expect their actions to be perceived and how women really see it. Here are some of the most enlightening entries to the #NoWomanEver hashtag.

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"He grabbed my ass in the check out line at the supermarket. THAT'S WHEN I KNEW HE WAS THE ONE." #NoWomanEver

P.S. That ACTUALLY happened.
— License To Shrill (@PluckyChicken) June 18, 2016

I'm really into this man on the train insistently pushing his thighs against mine even though I already said for him to stop #nowomanever
— Danielle Peterson (@WordsWithDani) June 18, 2016

I was waiting at the bus stop and some guy pulled up his car and asked if I wanted a ride. I thought, how nice of him to offer! #NoWomanEver
— Shannon (@shanwink) June 18, 2016

"Can I have some of that ice cream?"+ slurping sounds=the introduction to the man who has my heart forever #NoWomanEver
— jamilah lemieux (@JamilahLemieux) June 18, 2016

"those can't be real, lemme see them" "I'm so happy to prove the authenticity of my breasts to strangers!" #NoWomanEver
— Cory James (@_Fem_Kitty_) June 18, 2016

I find it attractive when men stand silently while their friend harasses & tries 2 grope me. Ambivalent bystanders are just ? #NoWomanEver
— Audrey Lee (@DivlioTsigani) June 18, 2016

Walking down the street he yelled hey i said hey back he didn't hear me so he said fuck u bitch! Oh the flattery we should date #NoWomanEver
— KilgraveMadeMeDoIt (@InsertLoloHere) June 18, 2016

I've been trying to build my business &a guy offered to sleep with me for free publicity. What didn't I think of that?! A hero! #NoWomanEver
— Caffeinated Geek (@arruniel) June 18, 2016

"My colleague's gaze was on my breasts during the entire conversation. He's such a great multi-tasker!" #NoWomanEver
— Eliza David, Author (@elizadwrites) June 18, 2016

When I said no thank you but he followed me thru the mall & grabbed me by my shoulder unexpectedly and faced me toward him. ???#NoWomanEver
— ❄️❄️❄️ (@_wxnderlvst_) June 18, 2016

" I love how he keeps talking about my appearance , and sending me unsolicited dick picks & begging me to send nudes" #nowomanever
— Brought2UbyHAITI (@JolieFemme_) June 18, 2016

Stop Street Harassment, an advocacy organisation, defines street harassment as "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." The organisation's 2014 survey found that 65% of all women have experienced street harassment.

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