Woman Confronts 'Catcallers' and Films Their Reactions
Woman's trick for dealing with catcallers has gone viral
— -- A 28-year-old woman’s response to "catcallers" has gone viral after she secretly recorded the men who she says harassed her on the street and came up with a creative way for all women to respond.
Lindsey, who asked that her last name not be used, told ABC News she came up with the idea for her website, “Cards Against Harassment,” to empower others who, like her, often feel they are harassed while simply walking to work or running errands.
“Women are acculturated to just say, ‘I don’t like it,’ and, ‘It makes me feel unsafe but I’m not going to say anything because that’s just how it is,’” Lindsey said. “If women don’t feel like they can use public spaces with the same safety that most men walk through the world feeling, then that is a problem.”
Lindsey's website, “Cards Against Harassment,” features business card-like pieces of paper that explain to catcallers what is wrong with their behaviors. People can download the cards and simply hand them to their catcallers, without having to engage in a conversation.
“Someone simply walking, jogging or biking in your line of sight isn’t an invitation for you to comment on how they look,” Lindsey said, quoting one of the cards. “Next time, just say hello.”
Two weeks ago, after Lindsey says she experienced one too many catcalls on her commute in downtown Minneapolis, she started filming those she says were “catcallers."
“I normally have a clutch and a phone [and] I just set my iPhone to be filming videos,” she said.
Sometimes her confrontations elicit apologies, while other times she says the men continue the harassment, including one man who told Lindsey he had the “freedom” to “holler” at her.
“I’m not sure if I’m changing hearts and minds, but if they are being annoying to me, I think I am a little entitled to be annoying back to them,” Lindsey said.
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