Research
To further develop a concept, the problem which I chose to proceed with was Street Harassment. I chose this problem to create awareness for as this topic is very important to me because of how often it occurs to myself and many of the people around me.
Desk research was conducted in order to gather information and data.
What is Street Harassment?
Street harassment is about power and intimidation. It involves any form of unwanted behavior directed towards someone without consent in public. Street harassment is a human rights issue because it limits harassed persons’ ability to be in public, especially women’s.
To further develop a concept, the problem which I chose to proceed with was Street Harassment. I chose this problem to create awareness for as this topic is very important to me because of how often it occurs to myself and many of the people around me.
What are examples of Street Harassment?
Examples of Street harassment include:
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Groping
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Following/Stalking
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Public masturbation/touching
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Commenting demeaning slurs towards someone (racist/sexist/homophobic, etc)
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Taking a photo/video of someone without consent
Street Harassment in the Netherlands
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In the Netherlands, 47% of women and 28% of men have encountered some form of street harassment.
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50% of people try to actively avoid public spaces to avoid such unwanted and uncomfortable abuse.
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2 out of 5 Amsterdam citizens admit to having encountered some form of intimidation on the streets, in nightclubs, or other public spaces.
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Only 5% of harassed women report street harassment to the police because they are afraid of the perpetrator's reaction.
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In March 2021, there was an increasing amount of posts on a Facebook page called "Sharing is Caring Maastricht" which warn group members of incidents within the city related to street harassment.