Join us for a shindig!
If you’ve been following along with the launch of the website don’t forget that there’s a launch party tomorrow night at Happy on Tory Street, from 8pm and it’s $10 on the door. We have a great lineup of bands, there will be some badges for sale and everyone can have a bit of a dance and a refreshing drink to celebrate Hollaback coming to Wellington.
Hope to see you all there!
Meet Hollaback Class 3!
Today fifty activists from thirteen cities around the world are bringing the movement to end street harassment to their communities.
“Hollaback! isn’t just an app or a map — it’s a movement,” said Hollaback! Board Chair and co-founder, Samuel Carter. We are now in 37 cities and 15 countries, with leaders speaking more than eight different languages.
“The growth of the movement demonstrates the pervasive nature of street harassment globally,” said Hollaback! International Movement Coordinator, Veronica Pinto. “At the same time, the response of activists around the world is incredible as we see the determination of folks who are fighting for their safety, fighting for their streets, and fighting for the right to be who they are.”
Local Hollaback! site leaders run their local blog and organize their communities through advocacy, community partnerships, and direct action. Site leaders are as diverse in their backgrounds as they are in their experiences of harassment. Hollaback! reports that 44% lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer, 26% identify as people of color, 76% are under the age of 30, and 90% are women.
“If I have my way, these won’t just be the leaders of the movement to end street harassment. These will be the next leaders of the world,” said Hollaback! Executive Director Emily May.
Although most of them are less than six months old, Hollaback! international sites are already having a big impact. In Bristol, UK, the team is working on an anti-street harassment task force with local officials. In Atlanta, the team did a community safety audit, and in Buenos Aires, Tegus, and Mexico City, the teams helped to coordinate their cities’ first SlutWalks, which were designed to bring awareness to women’s right to feel safe in public space.
We are currently recruiting activists for the next launch in November. If you’d like to bring Hollaback home, email us at holla AT ihollaback.org today.
Until then, please congratulate our new sites at ihollaback.org.
—————————
Cross posted from www.ihollaback.org
What it feels like…
Imagine this: You’re walking along Lambton Quay at 2.30pm on your way to Uni, some guy grabs your arm and leers “Heeeyy there” at you, then starts calling after you “Bitch! What a snob!” when you ignore him. You can’t shake an awful feeling for the rest of the day.
Or this: You’re going for a run in Karori, it’s about 8pm and some guys in a car decide to follow you with their window down, yelling obscenities at you. You’re a bit afraid so you wait inside a dairy until they drive off, then run home as fast as you can.
Or even this: You’re walking home through Newtown after going to a party and you cross the path of a group of guys who are clearly heading into Courtney Place. They start following you and yelling things like “Fag! Homo! Where are you going!” You call your boyfriend to try and deter them because you think you’re about to get beaten up.
At Hollaback! Wellington, we don’t believe the world should be like this. We don’t think that we should feel threatened on our own streets.
Please share your story of street harassment with us using the “Share your Story” form above, and help us begin to break the silence around street harassment in Wellington!