Neighbors Team Up With HollaBack! To Fight Street Harassment

Following complaints of street harrassment in the area, particularly along McDonald Avenue, neighbor Virginia Foley has organized an educational meeting to address and stop harassment in the community.

Virginia has teamed up with Council member Brad Lander’s office and the organization HollaBack!, a non-profit that teaches and promotes anti-harassment techniques for women who have experienced harassment from men, to provide a workshop for the community to those interested in learning to combat street harassment. The organization works with communities to understand harassment, start public conversations, and develop strategies to provide equal access to public spaces.

The meeting will take place on Monday, November 16 at 6:30pm in the lobby at 110 Caton Avenue, located between East 2nd Street and McDonald Avenue. Planned topics for the meeting include street harassment 101, the power of sharing your story, tips for responding to harassment, bystander intervention, and how to use technology to combat street harassment.

“I am very excited to have this meeting and so are the people I have spoken to already,” says Virginia. “This will give my community the belief in themselves and the tactics to stop [street harassers].”What other ways can neighbors take action against street harassment in the neighborhood?