Nice a**! Just smile!

Catcalling never seems to die.

You look like you need a big d***!
That’s the kind of a** I’d like to bite!
Look at that tight white t-shirt on a cold day!
Why don’t you just… smile!?

Sound familiar? At least in some form? For women and girls, that is.

We know it all too well. The sexually-suggestive comments, the unwelcome remarks, the derogatory words. Also the kissing, hissing, sucking, slurping sounds. All of that.

Whistling, vulgar gestures or noises, sexually suggestive comments, following someone, blocking the path, slowing the car down, honking the horn, “Hey baby!”… and So. Much. More.

No, I don’t know how to take a “compliment”.

Catcalling. Street harassment. Overt verbal abuse.

This stuff is usually focused on a woman’s body. Her body as a sexual object. And often focused on what the catcaller would like to do to her body. These are never harmless comments. Rather, they are designed to objectify a woman’s body. For their own amusement and pleasure.

These comments are built on a sense of entitlement to that body. And they are built to instill fear, to make women uncomfortable. The result is that this restricts women and girls from public space. This narrows their sphere, limits their mobility, curbs their freedom. The impact of these comments on our mental and physical health — and our fundamental rights and freedoms — cannot be underestimated.

Catcalling is so common it is normal. A normalized experience for women and girls. It is often their first incident of sexual harassment. An initiation into a world built on, by, and for men.

“It is so nice being old,” my mother once said to me. “I no longer have to hear men’s comments.”

Meanwhile, men repeatedly use the defense that they are complimenting women. What’s wrong with that? Do you have no sense of humor? I’m doing nothing wrong. You should say thank you!

In reality, it’s a power play. Street harassment is about someone exerting power and control over another. The result is women feel afraid, degraded, disempowered, embarrassed, and threatened. It sends the message that women are nothing more than objects.

And it often doesn’t stop there. Comments easily turn physical. The risk of physical and sexual assault, including rape, is not far-fetched.

If the catcaller is in a group, or if the individual being catcalled is on their own, it creates an added sense of danger. If the individual decides to defend themselves — it could often get worse.

Be careful where you go!
Don’t walk alone at night!
You can’t go out dressed like that!
If you’re faced with a group of men on the sidewalk, cross the street!
Walk fast, head down!
Wear headphones — but don’t have any sound on!
Carry your keys in your hand — just in case!

Should we have to live like this?!

But the reality is — we do.

Catcalling around the world

It’s not just here. It’s everywhere. Research is insufficient because we lack clarity around definitions and what actually constitutes sexual harassment. Where studies have been conducted, the results are holysh*t shocking!

And yet, the results only confirm what every woman already knows or has experienced.

For example:

• A global survey found that 79% of women living in cities in India, 86% in Thailand, and 89% in Brazil have been subjected to harassment or violence in public.
• Up to 100% of French women have experienced sexual harassment on public transportation.
• 25% of women who are catcalled said that this also led to inappropriate touching.
• In the UK, 97% of women in a survey said they had been sexual harassed in public spaces.
• A study found that out of 4,830 men interviewed, 31% in Lebanon and 64% in Egypt admitted to having sexually harassed women and girls in public.
• In the US, a survey revealed that 81% of women experience some form of sexual harassment during their lifetime.
• Another study found that, of the women who had experienced street harassment, 23% had been sexually touched, 20% had been followed, and 9% had been forced to do something sexual.

So, no, these are not just words.

Why do men do it?

Just like every other form of gender-based violence — the vast majority of victims are women and girls, and the vast majority of perpetrators are men and boys. Does that mean men never get harassed? No. Some men — for instance those who identify as LGBT — can be on the receiving end of this. But again — this is mostly about women and girls.

And, what’s worse, the onus seems to rest on those of us on the receiving end to address the issue. It is not possible for us to prevent this without engaging the male population — as they are usually the perpetrators.

Ok, but why?! Why do they do it?!

Sometimes it is done for other men — to appear macho or powerful. “Men in groups… are more likely to catcall than individual men, which should tell us something about who the real audience is.”

A study of men revealed that up to 85% use catcalls as a form of interest, flirtation or flattery. In terms of expected results, around 85% said they hoped the woman would smile, 81% expected flirtations to be reciprocated, 78% hoped for conversation, and 73% expected the woman would feel flattered.

Meanwhile, to women, these are not innocent flirtations or flattery. They are uncomfortable at best, and frightening at worst.

Is anyone doing anything about it?!

Yes. Chalk Back is one example.

Founded in 2016 by Sophie Sandberg, Chalk Back is a global youth-led movement committed to ending catcalling through public chalk art, advocacy, and digital media.

The movement began as a single Instagram account — catcalls of NYC — and has since grown to encompass 70 related accounts around the world. The organization uses chalk to write stories of harassment word-for-word in the spots where they happened. Using the hashtag #StopStreetHarassment, these lines are then posted on social media to raise awareness, share stories, encourage dialogue, and foster bold cultural change.

Responses have been overwhelming. Many have expressed gratitude for having a place to share their story, and have it publicly seen. Men have shown up as allies. People are asking how they can support.

But also, seeing comments written out on the pavements has shocked people. Many can’t believe how vulgar they actually are. Hearing “It’ll be so good, you won’t want to call it rape,” is bad enough. Seeing it written out in neon chalk exactly where it happened is a whole new level.

Chalk Back has opened the door for people to ask how they can help. The movement has become a leading force for advocacy and creative resistance, with more than 600 activists fighting for gender justice and equal access to public space, challenging an overlooked aspect of gender-based violence.

While the focus should be on educating men and boys, women and girls still need to protect themselves. So how do we respond?

In the moment, it’s about safety first.

With that in mind, Sandberg explains that some people describe freezing and being unable to think. Others may not say anything or ignore it completely so as not to provoke further harassment. If you are with others, and are comfortable doing so, a simple comeback might suffice. She suggests something like “don’t do that” or “that’s harassment” can work. Another option is to document it by writing it down or talking to a friend about it as this will provide some relief.

The important thing to remember, she stresses, is that it’s never your fault. The onus lies with the perpetrator.

Bottom line: This is harassment. This is a crime. Women deserve to feel safe. And — damn, I’ve said it 1000 times before — if women are not safe, NO ONE is safe.

Going forward, Chalk Back plans to raise funds (Looking at YOU, Crayola!) to support creating more widespread public art and educational responses to street harassment.

In order to create a truly sustainable movement, Chalk Back plans to develop additional programming to support activists’ mental health and offer guidance and funding for further action. Sandberg puts it this way:

We want everyone to be able to exist freely and joyously in public space. And we’ll keep chalking until that’s the reality.