Hollaback Australia

Freo Nightbus Groper

2011-04-16T11:48:00.000+08:00

I had been out at the pub with some friends in Fremantle, and when it came time for us to part ways, my friends needed to go in a different direction. The council runs a Nightbus, a late-night cheap alternative transport service for pub-goers who need to get home. I insisted that I would be fine to get the Nightbus alone, so my friends didn't have to go out of their way. I honestly felt very comfortable getting the Nightbus by myself, as it was always crowded and always had at least one security guard on board.

On this occassion, however, the bus was so crowded that some people had to stand-- I was lucky enough to get an aisle seat, but there were a number of men standing close to wear I was sitting. Two particular guys who were slightly older than the rest of people populating the bus had been staring at me and talking to each other, and when it came to their stop, as the bus braked, the one closest to me did an over-exaggerated stumble toward me, in the process grabbing a decent handful of my boob. He then sniggered and said 'oh, sorry', and turned to his mate to laugh about it.

I was shocked and disgusted, and only managed to mumble 'f**k off' and glare at him. The girl sitting next to me shot me a quick look of sympathy, but I hardly wanted to look her or anyone else in the eye. I think that's the most concerning thing about this; that sexual harrassment can happen in a crowded public place, and everyone except the harrasser reacts with embarassment and awkwardness. Why didn't I shout 'HEY, this asshole just groped me!'? Partly because I was afraid no-one would reply.

You win a Hollaback iPhone cover; Hollaback NYC wins a new website!

2010-09-13T16:36:00.000+08:00

Reposted from Hollaback New York!

The deadline for the Justmeans Paperless Challenge is Wednesday the 15th, and Hollaback! is so close to winning! But we need your help. To help us reach our goal, we are giving away FIVE Hollaback iPhone covers.

To enter:

1. Vote for Hollaback!, and comment on why street harassment matters or why Hollaback! rocks.

2. Link to the competition on your facebook or twitter page, using this link (http://www.justmeans.com/contestidea?ideaid=ODU4) and our handle. We are @ihollaback on twitter, or Hollaback! on facebook.

If we win, we'll use the funds to overhaul our website (and say goodbye and good riddens to pepto-bismol pink). We'll announce the winners on September 16th.

Thank you for all your support. We couldn't do it without you!

Brisbane Reclaim The Night Hecklers

2009-10-31T21:24:00.001+08:00

Last night hundreds of women in Brisbane marched the streets to Reclaim The Night. It was great! However as we marched past these gentlemen, they thought it proper to show women their place by heckling us. I suspect that our chants expressing out desire to be free from violence were oppressing their right to be jerks... or something...

Anyway, I had my camera out taking photos of the march so I was in the fortunate position to be able to snap a pic of these fine young misogynists. I just know they would appreciate being featured on the blog :-)

Anon in Perth speaks out

2009-09-20T15:28:00.001+08:00

Firstly, I regularly walk for exercise and have lost count of the number of times men (or should I say boys) in cars have driven by and honked or yelled rude comments out the window. They usually wait until the car is right behind me which makes it even more frightening/ annoying. This has even occurred before I have left the driveway of my home. I would love to flip them the bird in response but for the sake of my safety I have to swallow my anger and keep walking.

Secondly to the customers at my work who blatantly stare down my top whilst standing at my desk - thank you for forcing me to swap my already fairly modest clothing the most flesh covering articles I can find - even in the middle of summer.

Finally to every male who just stares at me blankly in the street, shopping centre, traffic etc.: women are human beings, individuals with thoughts, emotions and worth. We do not exist to satisfy your pervy gaze.

Thank you for this public space in which to vent.

Anon, Perth.

Street Arse-toucher: Perth

2009-07-10T12:32:00.001+08:00

In my most recent experience of public harassment I was wandering quite happily around the local markets near where I live in Perth WA when a random couple of guys walked past me. One of them bumped into me and ( I unassumingly assumed) accidently brushed against my bum. He apologised and I said 'no worries'. He then walked about two more steps, turned to his mate and said 'dude I just touched some girl's ass', as I am thinking 'dude I am still standing here'. *sigh*

(Anon)

Revolting park douchebag

2009-03-25T11:58:00.000+09:00

Here's what happened to my cousin and I yesterday afternoon.

We were on our way to our local Coles to pick up some supplies for dinner, and on the way, we walked through the park across the road since it's quicker. A guy comes walking past, looked around late 20s/early 30s, I guess. Didn't get a great look at him since my cousin and I were talking.

As he's passing by us, a few metres away, Mr. Asshole calls out, "Any of you ladies want a root?" followed by "Or maybe we could have a threesome!"

NO, COCKSPANK, NEITHER OF US WANT A ROOT, ESPECIALLY NOT FROM YOU.

I was initially shocked, and wanted to yell at him, but I stopped myself since I was afraid he'd get violent. Wish I'd said something more instead of just glaring at him.

-Anonymous

Bus and train follower

2008-08-12T19:34:00.000+08:00

Dear guy on the bus and then on the train,

It's one thing when you creep onto me. It's another when you do it to my young, female students and they feel so unsafe that they seek me out for protection and reassurance. No one should feel unsafe travelling home from school and if you hadn't stopped following them when you saw me, there would have been an introduction of my knee to your tender bits.

No Love,
Purrdence

Melbourne tram scum

2008-08-06T13:34:00.003+08:00

Sometimes things happen that you can't just shrug off. Sometimes your state of mind is such that an event can affect you on a deeply personal level. It can affect you so much that you are prepared to make massive sacrifices to prevent said event happening again.

I recently paid off my personal loan after eleventy billion years. This means I have a lot more disposable income to throw around. I was planning on throwing it into taking flying lessons. But no longer. Now I'm going to get a car. Sure, I live in the inner city and have loads of public transport available to me. But therein lies the problem. Public transport. Or more specifically, the scum that travel on it.

Twice in six months I have been on the receiving end of some depraved man's sexual desire.

The first happened on a pack tram on my way home back in January, my partner was at boot camp at the time. Now, trams break in such a way that means you lean into the person next you a fair bit, so I didn't think anything of a guy leaning on me as we slowed to go round a corner. I started to get concerned when he didn't straighten himself up after the turn. Then I felt his erection on my thigh. I was too much of a chicken to say anything and I got off the tram and walked home in a rage, wanting to talk to my partner but not wanting to stress him out while he was at boot and could do nothing. Some friends took me out for midnight pancakes with bacon and things were a bit better, but something had really shaken me.

And then this morning happened. Standing on the tram, noticed the guy standing next to me was either staring right at me, or at my hair - knee length bright red dreadlocks get a bit of attention. But then I realised his left hand was deep in his pants' pocket, and moving quite a bit. He continued to stare at me and I became more certain it wasn't my hair he was looking at. I tried to look straight ahead and kept thinking "maybe he has an itch, maybe he's not doing what I think he is doing". Just then, the school girl sitting in front of me looked up and made eye contact with him. The hand movements got faster as the guy's attention turned on the girl. She couldn't have been more than 13. He started moaning and eventually groaned out "Hallelujah" when the woman opposite the schoolgirl told the man to get off the tram. He got violent and threatened to "smash" everyone before barging his way off.

Maybe I'm overly sensitive. But I can't shake this. I can't help but feel violated, like some sort of trust has been ripped away from me. And I guess that's what has happened. As you board a bus or tram, you trust the other passengers are like you and will respect your personal space. You trust they won't rub their giblets on your body. You trust they won't fucking masturbate over you and a 13 year old schoolgirl. It wasn't even a Friday night - you could expect a drunk might do something like that under the influence of alcohol in an almost empty tram. But this was a peak hour morning tram. I was going to work. She was going to school. We were surrounded by people. I had to fucking PAY MONEY THAT I WORKED TO EARN to catch that tram. I spent the morning looking at everyone with suspicion and distrust. And I will continue to feel this way.

The frustrating part of this is that no one but that man is to blame. I can't say "oh if Yarra Trams offered a safer service this wouldn't have happened" but there is nothing they could have done. There is nothing anyone can do. But I can do something. I can buy a fucking a car and add to the climate change problem, because frankly, to hell with human beings.

Melbourne tram officer harassment

2008-07-19T18:28:00.001+08:00

i just googled sexual harrassment on melbourne trams and this webbie came up as first.

Half an hour ago i was waiting for a tram in front of flinders, when a tram officer, the one with the yellow jacket started to talk to me. it all started innocently enough, with him asking how old i was, which school i went to and did i gain any weight since i came to melbourne and stuff.

then he started staring at me up and down. saying this like, i cant tell where u gained weight, come back when you're 25, which is close to my age. ur very attractive etc.

When i got up he started to kind of bump into my shoulder

i couldnt take it and walked back.

i dont know why i'm bloody writing this & telling the world now but i was crying when i walk back

& this shouldnt happen to anyone

thats my story

Indecent assault on Sydney train

2008-07-09T12:22:00.004+08:00

Western Line train heading to the city, 1:30pm

I was heading to Chinatown to grab a late lunch with a friend of mine, when I had the displeasure of encountering a man-sized cockroach on my train.

I had been happily absorbed in my thoughts for the duration of the one hour journey. I had not noticed the cockroach in a black baseball cap get onto my train, or carefully select a seat directly across the aisle from me. I was blissfully ignorant, and it was to be a happy day. Or not.

As my train approached Central, I gathered my things and stood up to exit my seat. The cockroach promptly stood up and made to leave his seat also. We both intended to step into the aisle, but there was no room for both of us to enter the aisle simultaneously. We made eye contact and he paused. I understood (wrongly) that he was waiting for me to enter the aisle first. As I stepped into the aisle, I felt his hand on my ass. Slightly shocked, I swiftly walked the length of the aisle, quickly down the stairs to the carriage doors.

I thought, "Did that guy just touch my ass?". Then the little voice of doubt kicked in - "Maybe it was just an accident. He was just a little too close behind you". Unfortunately, my doubts were unfounded.

As I waited for the carriage doors to open, I realised the cockroach had crept directly behind me. Too close behind me. As soon as the doors opened, I leapt out onto the platform and almost jogged down the steps to the ticket barriers. I thought to myself, "Yes, I've lost him, it was just an accident". And then I heard a voice, a soft, creepy, desperate voice, in my right ear. The cockroach was right next to me! "Can I come with you?" asked the roach, trying, I think, to make itself sound seductive. Eww!

The cockroach scuttled rapidly past me without waiting for a reply, and at the bottom of the stairs, turned right and crept out of sight. "Thank God", I thought, as I turned turned left and walked quickly through the ticket barriers. I naively believed it was gone. But I was wrong.

I walked down Eddy Avenue, heading to Chinatown. At the intersection with Pitt Street, I had to wait for the lights before crossing. As I stood there, under my umbrella in the dripping rain, I thought of the thousand and one ways I could have reacted. Slapped him as soon as he dared touch my body. Embarrassed him by loudly asking "Would you stop following me and touching me?" I was so angry that his actions caused me to fear, I who have been regularly catching trains since the age of 11, I who have a right to walk the streets without cockroaches and all manner of man-sized vermin leering at me, groping me, threatening me with violence, punishing me for being female.

I was jolted out of my stream of consciousness when, suddenly, a man in a black baseball cap reappeared in front of me at the intersection. The cockroach! I was sickened, too disgusted to speak. Was he going to follow me all the way to Chinatown? How was I going to get rid of him? He openly leered at another woman before turning towards me. I'd had enough. As he crept up to me, I made an aggressive movement with my open umbrella, hoping to poke his eye with one of the spokes of my umbrella. He ducked unsuccessfully, and then, realising that I wasn't afraid to use brute force to defend myself, took off. I didn't see him again.

Anonymous

The Last Train out of Sydney

2008-07-06T19:43:00.000+08:00

Not so much a post as a quick complaint - catching the train last night to visit family I get to the top of the stairs, dragging an enormous suitcase, child in tow and get asked by a guy what station we're at.

I'm a bit startled, thinking he's missing his stop, but I answer and find a seat. I notice his friend when I sit down as we are separated by a few seats, and the aisle, but are facing each other and he's looked at me. I immediately put my head down and I think about the reaction I've had to them. I have immediately gleaned that they are both drunk, possibly stoned (massively red eyes), tres blokey, absolutely enormous, "good looking" I suppose in that footballer type of way.

I don't wanna make eye contact given my vast experience with drunken men on trains. Anyway, I dig out my book and I hear the first guy (not the one facing me) say "Stop staaarin maaaan", but don't really register or think anything of it. I look up at some point, and we make eye contact and I give the look - I'm sure women out there know the look, it's well rehearsed - the 'smile' that is acknowledgement of eye contact, enough not to be rude, so as not to be challenging and provoke abuse, and not enough to encourage conversation.

I start thinking about my wariness and where it comes from (a good 20 years of awareness of danger, of random "drive-by" harassment in its various forms, but I wanna analyse whether my reaction is "fair" or not). So I start thinking, Well, he's totally enormous, like for real this guy could knock my teeth out without cracking a sweat. Then I think, well, that isn't his *fault*, he can't help being enormous. But you know, having been followed, having been hit, having read the rape stats and having had numerous unpleasant, though less physically violent interactions, I can't "help" my radar going off, and I can't "help" thinking of his size in this way.

I can hear the guys talking, and it's all football and grog talk, but I decide I don't mind the guy facing me, he shows some awareness of his surroundings etc and makes a few quips as to the other guys idiocy. Anyway, I'm deep in my book and I hear the first guy say "Stop starin man, you're embarrassing yourself" and my eyes flick up and I make fleeting eye contact with the second guy who's looking embarrassed and telling his friend to shut up.

I go back to my book, still not thinking much of it, when I hear the first guy (slurring and loud) say "Whaddya starin at HER for? She's a [missed this word]. SHE don't wanna suck no cock."

Now, let me say I don't know who the "she" he was talking about was. It was, by all indications, either me, or the girl sitting one seat ahead of me. I went back to my book as I was most certainly not wishing to make eye contact now. The second guy was really pissed with his friend and telling him to shut up as he was embarrassing him. It kept going for a while.

I don't know who it was they were referring to, but it hardly matters does it? I mean "she don't wanna suck no cock"??? WHERE do I start? Well, you know, I certainly don't wanna "suck" yours you moronic arrogant jerk, in fact I wish it was detachable by velcro so I could toss the damned thing out the window. But "what" was it that either I or the other girl "was" that meant definitively that we didn't wanna "suck no cock"? A lesbian? A mother? A brunette? An adult?

And WOW - imagine, if you can, what joys might lay in store for the "type" of girl, judged as wanting to "suck cock". What stimulating and witty conversation she would have been treated to. What slow, drawn out, delightfully playful seduction. What romance and laughter.

It's really bizarre to me, that it is this kind of blanket judgment as well, like you either like to "suck cock" and therefore will do it anytime, anywhere, on command, indiscriminately or you just don't. I kinda wanted to point out that even for those who do actually enjoy fellatio, it isn't like liking chocolates, that you don't see one whilst strolling around and go Oooh, might just pop that in my mouth because it *is* a "cock".

I know this is a story that doesn't really "go" anywhere - but I think there is value in the telling of these anecdotes...I think when we don't 'tell' our stories of this casual insulting sexism, it is easy to forget how frequent it is, and how frustrating and demoralising...it also gives a space in which it is safe to 'talk back'. It is so frustrating to have to meekly accept the humiliation if you feel that to object could lead to violence or aggression.

Train Wanker

2008-06-03T10:03:00.003+08:00

Boy, do I have a story for the people at Hollaback and for the people who read the blog!

I was on the train, going home from work. On the trains where I live, in the carriages, there's a middle deck where people aboard and get off the trains, and then a bottom and top deck in the middle of the carriages for more seats. On the top and bottom decks, there's something of a small aisle, which allows people to make their way on either the right or left side of the train for seating. So I got onto the train and made my way to the top deck, and sat on the left side. A stop or two later, I noticed the man who was about sexually harass me went to grab a newspaper that was a few seats in front of me, though on the right side of the seats, and I also noticed that he was taking a longer than usual glance towards me. He then walked to his seat, which was a row behind me and on the right side. Turns out he wanted a good view at me, and was masturbating over me. I only found out when he was stupid enough to sit on the same row on me to get a better look at me (still sitting on the right side, thankfully) where I saw from the corner of my eye, him taking quick glances at me. I wondered what his problem was so I looked over towards him and that's when I noticed his hand down his pants.

I instantly froze, as this was the first time this has ever happened to me. I had been sexually harassed before with someone yelling inappropriate things at me, but this was completely new for me. After I froze, my first reaction was to yell, "Augh!" but I stayed calm, and promptly walked off and sat down at the middle decks. I then realised that I might have to see him again if he ever got off the trains, so then I made my way to the lower decks.

When it my turn to get off the train, I made my way to the middle decks, where there was fortunately someone there whom I could stand with just in case that guy was still on the train. I asked the man who I was standing with if there was a man up in the upper deck and then he said, "No. Is he scaring you?" I told him what happened, and he was equally disgusted as well, and said that I should report it. I asked where I could do so, and he directed me to one of the staff at the train station, where I reported the guy that sexually harassed me. Some minutes later, the train-police came and asked me to describe him, what time it was and between what stations that this had taken. The officer who was asking me questions said that I had supplied a pretty good description which I was relieved about. Unfortunately, the time I supplied may have been wrong as I was taking guesses because I wasn't really paying attention to the time. I really hope they get the guy and charge him.

I also unfortunately didn't get a picture because like I said before, I was just so freaked out and my mind blanked.

Wendy

"Why hasn't my comment appeared?"

2008-04-30T15:11:00.004+08:00

Hi Hollabackers,

The team would like you to please take a moment to read our Posting and Comments policies.

In particular, please note that when you're commenting anonymously, and we have no way of contacting you - our only choices are to edit and re-submit the comment without your permission, or reject it outright.

If you have submitted a comment that has not gone through after 24 hours, or you think you may have skated a bit close to the line on the comments policy, and you commented anonymously, please contact the main hollaback email with a working Reply-To email address. When you do that, we have the opportunity to mention which part of the comment isn't in line with policy, so that you have some input into the editing process.

The particular policy line that is most likely to be an issue is this one:

"Do not tell the poster what to do or how to react to her experience."

The Hollaback team has perhaps a firmer idea than most about what might be read by some as a "should" or a value judgement on possible responses to harassment. Including a disclaimer that it's not meant to be read as a "should" doesn't necessarily take away the power or sting of that reading.

So - yes. We want to hear from you, we want to hear supportive comments, but if you think your comment could contain borderline "should" statements, we need a contact email if you'd like us to discuss possible edits with you.

Hollaback Australia Posting Guide

1. Hollaback Australia is a space for women and LGBTQI folks to Holla Back at the people who harass them in public. Email your submissions to hollabackoz@gmail.com.

For more detail on the concept, see the HollaFAQ at Holla Back NYC.

2. First-person experiences of sexual harassment in public spaces are welcome. Our focus is on face-to-face spaces such as streets and public transport, but that focus is not necessarily exclusive.

3. Name your own experience, not other people's. Please confine your post to the facts, to your experiences, and to your personal reactions only. Please avoid imputations of motive or interpretations of the thoughts of others.

4. Avoid including the full names of individuals or businesses.

5. Let us know how you'd like to be attributed. A first name, initial, handle, or "anonymous" is all fine.

6. We don't edit posts for content, but may tweak format for readability.

Hollaback Australia Comments Policy

1. Supportive comments from all allies, in the spirit of solidarity, are welcomed.

2. Hollaback Australia is our space, and it is a safe space. Dissection, debate, dissent or disbelief of posters' experiences will be deleted.

3. Do not tell the poster what to do or how to react to her experience. Be particularly sensitive to the possibility of a "should" reading of your comment, even if you specifically disclaim it.

4. No racist, sexist, classist, ableist, anti-gay, anti-trans, or other hate speech of any kind will be published.

5. Our blog, our discretion. We decide what we publish and what we don't. Comments we feel are inappropriate will be deleted without comment or correspondence.

6. General discussion of the Hollaback concept and site is welcome at this thread on Hoyden About Town.

7. Please, if you can, provide a working email address when you comment (any anonymous freemail is fine, and email addresses aren't published, they are purely for blog owners to see). If your comment needs editing (in regard to point 3 particularly), being able to discuss it with you first would be helpful.

Cheers
The Hollaback Team

Under-the-table gropers and videotapers

2008-04-28T10:07:00.000+08:00

Something happened to me a year ago that I still can't get over. I was at a party in my area with people that I thought were my friends. It turns out that I was only there because they thought they'd get action from me. Being an easily influenced 17 year old, I felt safe to drink etc.

There was a boy I had met once before and we flirted and kissed. He tried to rub me up under the table, but I kept pushing his hand away. Meanwhile, his friends were underneath the table filming up my dress. They were the ones trying to rub me up and catch it on video.

I was unaware of it at the time, and started seeing the guy that I had kissed. He told everybody what happened, in detail, and also told them of the video tape. Eventually, so many people were told that my sister knew, so it all got back to me.

I still don't know where that tape is and apparently the guy that I kissed and his best friend (who's house it happened at) treat every girl like this. I still see the best friend's brother everywhere, and I have been threatened to shut my mouth.

I'm too scared to submit a photo... I just think that I should have acted when it was actually happened, even though I recently got a threat to shutup. I don't know what to do.

anonymous

Driveby Honker: Scarborough

2008-04-24T14:46:00.001+08:00

Dear Guy in That Car

When my Mum and I were waiting for the bus outside the old IKEA building on Scarbourgh Beach Rd yesterday, you and your mate drove past us and thought it was funny to honk at us and yell stupid things at us. I bet you thought that made you look cool.

In fact, it made you look like a wanker because that's what you are. Driving around frightening women - especially my mum - just shows your level of (im)maturity. Pity I didn't get a photo.

No Love,
Purrdence

Tram leerer: Melbourne, 2007

2008-04-19T12:31:00.001+08:00

Late winter, and a friend and I were catching a tram at peak hour out of the city, heading east. It was crowded, but we managed to get a double seat, facing into the bendy bit of the tram. People were standing in front of us and in the aisles. We hadn't had the chance for a good chat for a couple of weeks, and proceeded to catch up. My friend, C, had just started seeing a mutual friend of ours and I wanted an update!

Anyway, within a few minutes of starting our conversation - basically, from the moment one of us mentioned the word "boyfriend" - we realised that the guy who was standing directly in front of us kept staring at us, leering. Ugh. He'd stare until he caught the eye of one of us, and then sort of smirk and look away. We started having a double conversation - on the one hand, we didn't want to let anyone stop us having the conversation we wanted to have! On the other hand, we wanted to do something about this guy. I'd recently heard about Hollaback, and I wanted to take a photo of him. C wouldn't let me - she was worried he might retaliate (although as I said, the tram was pretty crowded, and I don't think he would have done anything). We settled for staring him out - I basically just stared right back at him with as much disgust on my face as I could muster (in that situation - a lot!). He looked at us a lot less after that. He got off the tram before we did, and we were pretty glad of that.

Next time, I'm definitely taking a photo.

Jo

Cliff Tosser: Coogee Beach, 2001

2008-04-17T10:41:00.003+08:00

It was summer, and I wandered down to the beach one evening after work. I've always been a big fan of the cliffs at the south of the beach, and I just spent some time there during twilight. As it got closer to full dark, I figured I should leave. It was a beautiful evening, I was feeling relaxed and in an excellent mood.

Just before I got to the park between the beach and the cliffs, I saw a dog and stopped to talk to her. As I did so, I heard a guy's voice calling out to me. He was sitting on a rock, about 10 m away, silhouetted in the almost-dark, facing the water, his back to the sunset. I assumed the dog was his, but he said she wasn't. "Beautiful evening, isn't it?" he said, and I agreed. "Come sit here beside me," he invited. "No," I said, "I'm fine where I am," and turned to go. As I did, he asked me something like "are you a tourist?" I said "no", and turned to go again, and he asked me something equally trivial. This went on for a couple of minutes - I thought it was strange that he kept pretty much repeating questions, but felt it would be rude to just cut him off. Then I realised something ... I had thought he was jiggling his leg. Well, he was jiggling his leg ... but that wasn't all he was jiggling. He was having a good old wank as well! I hadn't noticed because of the silhouette effect - and besides, I hadn't really been looking at him. I said something like "you're sick," and walked off for good that time. I think he might have shouted something after me, but tough bickies.

I headed home, mostly angry at having my good mood spoilt by an arsehole. One of my housemates was home when I got back. I told him the story, more to have a good rant than anything. He suggested I report it to the police - I was a bit skeptical, since it was now a good half hour or so since I'd left the cliffs. (I possibly would have rung them straight away, but I didn't have my mobile with me at the time.) I thought about it for a few minutes, and decided yes, I should call. After all - what exactly had he been thinking when he asked me to sit beside him? What if someone actually did? So I rang the number for the local police station and, of course, got the predictable response. "He's not going to be there by now," they told me. But they did agree to send someone to check, just in case. Anyway, I mostly wanted to report it. Partly for statistics, partly in case someone else also reported him.

I never got quite the same enjoyment out of the cliffs after that...

Jo

Laughter is the Best Medicine.

2008-04-16T15:34:00.000+08:00

This didn't happen in Australia, it happened in Taipei, Taiwan, but I accidentally discovered one of the best responses ever to this kind of shit.

This was not the first time it happened to me, but this time, as i was walking back to work after picking up a drink at the 7-11, on a beautiful sunny day, I was in such a good mood, and so I think that's why I was able to react like i did.

This guy popped out of a tiny lane [this is right next to a gradeschool, by the way] and starts jiggling his bits at me. And i just started laughing. It was so ridiculous, and so not in keeping with the rest of the scene, that I just laughed. And, even better, he looked so shocked and horrified at my laughter that he just scuttled away, as i laughed even louder.

Sure as I'm a woman, this'll happen again someday, and I hope I have the presence of mind to humiliate the next one as effectively as that!

Angela

Hollaback Australia: Posting Guide and Comments Policy

2008-04-16T12:32:00.006+08:00

Hollaback Australia Posting Guide

1. Hollaback Australia is a space for women and LGBTQI folks to Holla Back at the people who harass them in public. Email your submissions to hollabackoz@gmail.com.

For more detail on the concept, see the HollaFAQ at Holla Back NYC.

2. First-person experiences of sexual harassment in public spaces are welcome. Our focus is on face-to-face spaces such as streets and public transport, but that focus is not necessarily exclusive.

3. Name your own experience, not other people's. Please confine your post to the facts, to your experiences, and to your personal reactions only. Please avoid imputations of motive or interpretations of thoughts of others.

4. Avoid including the full names of individuals or businesses.

5. Let us know how you'd like to be attributed. A first name, initial, handle, or "anonymous" is all fine.

6. We don't edit posts for content, but may tweak format for readability.

Hollaback Australia Comments Policy

1. Supportive comments from all allies, in the spirit of solidarity, are welcomed.

2. Hollaback Australia is our space, and it is a safe space. Dissection, debate, dissent or disbelief of posters' experiences will be deleted.

3. Do not tell the poster what to do or how to react to her experience. Be particularly sensitive to the possibility of a "should" reading of your comment, even if you specifically disclaim it.

4. No racist, sexist, classist, ableist, anti-gay, anti-trans, or other hate speech of any kind will be published.

5. Our blog, our discretion. We decide what we publish and what we don't. Comments we feel are inappropriate will be deleted without comment or correspondence.

6. General discussion of the Hollaback concept and site is welcome at this thread on Hoyden About Town.

7. Please, if you can, provide a working email address when you comment (any anonymous freemail is fine, and email addresses aren't published, they are purely for blog owners to see). If your comment needs editing (in regard to point 3 particularly), being able to discuss it with you first would be helpful.

Stalker of Shame

2008-03-31T22:39:00.002+08:00

Recently a group of women from the Perth based R♀AR feminist collective set up a facebook campaign called ‘T-Shirts of Shame’. This campaign was set up because the women in the group were sick of seeing men on the streets of Perth parading around in T-shirts derogatory to women and decided to publicly shame them. We encouraged women to post pictures of men wearing t-shirts that they found offensive for the hall of shame, with the idea of crowning the worst of them ‘Wanker of the week’.

Shortly after we had sent this out to our contacts, encouraging them to forward it on, a man named Michael began to post a series of incredibly sexist and misogynist jokes on line, many which were offensive to more than one minority group. One example of these delights was “Women are like parking spaces… all the good ones are taken and the rest are disabled”… At first we thought that Michael just didn’t understand the site and thought he was posting offensive jokes he’d seen on T-shirts to add to the site, however when he then proceeded to criticise the women involved in the site for attempting to violate men’s right to free speech, his intention became apparent. After the moderators removed the offensive jokes from the site and removed Michael from the members list, he then began to send sexist messages and pictures to three of the women who moderated the facebook group to their personal facebook accounts. These women then had to report Michael to the facebook team. Several women, who initially had Michael as an acquaintance on their facebook accounts, de-friended him in disgust.

Once he had no power left to post on the ‘T-Shirts of Shame’ site he got one of his friends to post a final picture which we think is quite telling. He posted this picture of himself with a sign around his neck declaring himself to be a ‘registered sex offender’.

We’ll leave you to formulate an opinion of this man!

Put a Hollaback Button in your Blog Sidebar!

2008-03-20T14:47:00.015+09:00

We now have a button:

To add this button to your blog, copy the following code into a sidebar HTML module:

Please spread the word!

New Hollaback Flyer!

2008-03-14T21:12:00.001+09:00

We have a new flyer! Click on the screengrab to download in PDF format, and distribute far and wide. Blog buttons and printable business cards to come.

"Back Off!": Why Holla Back Works

2008-03-09T11:06:00.004+09:00

I haven't got the book Back Off!" by Martha Langelan yet - it's on the wishlist - but there's a summary and review here at Brian Martin's page.

Langelan couldn't have foreseen ubiquitous cellphone cameras and Web 2.0, but her general ideas about addressing sexual harassment are very applicable here at Holla Back. Excerpts from Martin:

But what to do about it? Langelan at this point refers to a long experience of women's nonviolent action against harassment, putting it into a tradition including Gandhi's campaigns and, at greater length, the US civil rights movement. However, in formulating actual anti-harassment tactics, she draws at least as much on feminist self-defence theory. According to this theory, a tactic against sexual harassment is appropriate if it reflects the realities of women's lives, if it builds on and expands women's abilities, if it increases women's mobility and if it promotes independence. Ignoring harassment or recommending that women stay at home at night do not satisfy these criteria.

[...]

When it comes to direct encounters, Langelan says that appeasement and aggression aren't so effective, or are actually counterproductive. Assertiveness is not enough. In confrontation, a women immediately specifies the abusive behaviour, publicly describes it as harassment, and holds the harasser responsible for it.

And that's what we're doing, here at Holla Back. The behaviour is specified, publicly described, and the harasser is held responsible. We're taking back the power, in this giant public space of the Web.

There is more on Why Holla Back Works here at Holla Back Talk, under the headings:

- Hollaback empowers women

* It is immediate and direct action

* Hollaback is a nonviolent, discrete, anonymous, and safe method of resistance.

* Anyone can hollaback.

* The posts are educational.

* It reclaims public space for women.

* Hollabackers have kicked off a global social movement.

Thanks for being part of Holla Back Australia, and please spread the word via your blogs and real life networks, wherever you can.

Take a picture, it will last longer

2008-03-07T10:17:00.002+09:00

My friends and I were out having a few drinks at a bar in London and were harassed endlessly by all sorts of wankers. At one point, these 2 guys thought it fit to squash in to our table and start annoying us despite telling them to leave us alone. They said a girls night was just an excuse to go out and "pull". The last straw was when they grabbed my camera and took a photo of themselves, little knowing that it would soon be up on the world wide web attached to the word WANKERS.

Cheers

Caz

History-teaching perv

2008-03-06T11:31:00.003+09:00

This is to Mr B, my history teacher at school, years ago.

We knew, Mr B. We knew why you strolled around the classroom, craning your neck for a vantage point. We knew why you came up and sat on the desks of the girls while pretending to help them, leaning over to catch a glimpse. We knew why nobody wanted to take the front desks.

But did you know that we knew? Did you know why every single girl in your class (except the new girl who we hadn't spoken with yet) spent the entire class time working with her hand clutching her grey dress collar tightly to her neck?

No, we never told. We had no proof, you see.

But we all knew.