Understanding Why Street Harassment And Cat-calls Scrape At Our Hearts

[i<3LSOP]

I've never gotten "real" cat calls, (I'm just a young girl) but when walking in stores, I often get looks from guys my age sometimes even older ... and sometimes a whistle or clapping. Honestly... whenever it happens I either shoot them a dirty look, just look down, or stare at them like I don't understand. It offends me and I always feel like taking my purse and hitting them in the face with it. But no really, it scares me... though I'm tall [size=3](about five eight and most think I won't get taller)[/size] I'm thin, and don't have a fighting bone in my body... so I get nervous of getting snatched since most of them are about 60-100 pounds heavier then me.

[Slappo]

[quote name='Maggie' timestamp='1337306039' post='2432011']
I must be butt-ugly because I have never been cat-called in my life! I thought that only happened in the movies and/or Europe. Apparently not.
[/quote]

Maybe your beauty stuns them into silence .

[Slappo]

joke post removed to keep thread srs. (pic of mt. lion making a "cat call"). Didn't think it would really add to a good thread. I've enjoyed reading this thread.

Edited May 18, 2012 by Slappo

[PhuturePriest]

[quote name='beatitude' timestamp='1337354593' post='2432189']
The worst instance of degrading street harassment that I've experienced came when I was seventeen. I was on my way to class and waiting to cross the street when two much older men came walking by. One of them reached out and groped me and said, "You've got a nice a*ss there!" He was grinning at me as though it was supposed to be a compliment. I felt disgusting. I wanted to jump in a scalding hot bath with a block of salt to try and rub the feeling of his hands off me. The worst thing about it was the way a.) he honestly seemed to think he had a right to treat me that way and b.) he expected me to be flattered by it. Since then, when I've tried to shut up cat-calling men, some of them have got defensive or even hostile, telling me that they were 'only being nice' and 'that's the best attention you'll ever get off anyone, you c***'. This is one of the reasons why I no longer challenge people who wolf-whistle or who shout out comments about my body. I'm too nervous of what they might do. I just hurry on as fast as I can.
[/quote]

Reading that post made me really mad. I almost wish I had been there to line that guy out. My parents always taught me to respect women and to hear about this makes me want to break that guy's fingers.