Be safe in the streets
Monday, November 19th, 2012
I noticed a poster in the Sun Tran bus recently about speaking out to stop harassment in the city streets, from Safe Streets AZ.
Safe Streets AZ is a project of the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault (SACASA).
Their website says:
From comments, cat calls and whistles, to groping, stalking and threats – all of these go into creating an environment of fear and a lack of safety in public places. Many people are harassed on the basis of their perceived sexual orientation or gender, and youth and young adults are especially vulnerable. Public or street harassment is one of the most common forms of sexual violence, but it’s rarely reported and often not taken seriously.
Ask young women & some men about what it’s like to be harassed in the streets, and speak up to stop any harassment you notice going on. I myself was a victim of a lot of the aforementioned behavior in my twenties, including hate speech.
For more info, or to comment & share your story, go to http://safestreetsaz.com/.
If you are harassed you can report it by email safestreetsaz@gmail.com, or call or text (520) 477-SAFE (520-477-7233). And if the harassment becomes dangerous, of course call 911, or seek safety by finding a security officer nearby (i.e. city/county/federal buildings or the public libraries).
