Holla Back California

Sexual Harassment at CSUSB

2010-11-07T19:45:00.001-08:00

To Whom It May Concern:

First off, I'd like to thank whoever is responsible for creating and running this site. I really hope Holla Back California continues to be updated, and I've been telling my peers about it, especially after what happened today.

At around 11:35 A.M. I had crossed Northpark Blvd. to get on the California State University San Bernardino campus. There was an African-American male, around five and a half feet tall, walking towards me. He had short, shaved dark brown hair and dark brown eyes, and was wearing a gray USC shirt, red and white PE shorts, and a black backpack. When he got next to me I opened my mouth to say "good morning" but he told me that I should "let him suck on those titties". I immediately scowled at him and flipped him off and he quickly walked away. Since he had a backpack and was walking off campus I'm assuming that he is a student at CSUSB. I hate that I wasn't able to take a picture of him, but I hope my description of him will help. I'll be on the lookout for him when I walk around Northpark now. I just want the students at CSUSB to be aware that there's sexual harassment going on near the outskirts of campus.

Just a letter

2009-02-16T21:01:00.000-08:00

Hello. This is long, but I have to get it out.

I have not left my apartment alone in 6 months, except once per week to go to the grocery store (in the car), and even that is a nightmare I dread.

Every time I leave the house I feel intimidated by street harassers, cat callers or otherwise rude, aggressive men. No, I'm not a supermodel, nor a sea cow. No I don't dress provocatively (most of the time I don't even get out of my PJ's) or instigate trouble. I mostly try to look at the ground when I walk now.
Its every single time I leave the house, and its not my imagination. Its not an age thing, a race thing or a lifestyle thing-Its a gender/aggression thing.

Even going to the grocery store once a week is a nightmare; the last 2 trips I was cornered by crazy, sick old men that could have been my grampa, or at least my dad. One of the guys stopped at the end of an aisle and stared at me for over a whole minute-When I stared back he said 'sorry' and scurried away. Another one was a really old man when I was at the check out; He stood so close to me I could feel his breath on my neck, so I changed check out booths after trying to take steps back several times, and him just stepping closer very time. He FOLLOWED ME!!! But this time he was blocking me in, so I couldn't get away!

The last time I went out without my BF and not to the grocery store was to walk to the bank 1/2 mile away and back. Outside the bank is a fruit cart with a guy selling fruit. I saw him staring at the end of the block, and he leered the whole time, whistled when I passed the cart, and leered again until I got into the bank doors. Same thing happened on the way back.
As soon as I turned the corner, 3 men parked in a car on the side street began making kissy noises and yelling toward me...The three of them followed me all the way to the other corner where I live, making squishy mouth noises the whole way. I don't go to the bank on foot anymore.

Aside from yells and weird encounters (this is only the last couple times Ive left the house), I can't walk down the road without beeps from passing cars, or men yelling obscene comments or leering out their windows at red lights. It doesn't just happen in the summer when I wear t-shirts and shants. It happens in the winter, too, wearing long pants, sweaters and coats.

At my last apartment, the balcony was over an alleyway shared with a major road where a building was undergoing construction. Every time I went to water the plants outside, the construction workers would yell obscene things to me. I had stopped going even on my own goddamn porch to avoid abuse!!

Yes, I used to do container gardening and would like to again, but Home Depot is another nightmare/obstacle so I decided not to garden this year. There's always workers standing at the entrances of the parking lot (on Western/Sunset), which is cool, but I'm not building a deck; I'm buying snapdragons for my porch and don't need any assistance. As soon as the men see inside the dirty windows of my jetta and find a woman, the yelling and hissing starts.
Often they've become very aggressive, and banged on the car windows while making foul gestures with their mouths, etc... Exiting the home depot is scary, too. My last shopping trip there, one man followed me all the way from the exit door to my car (which was far into the lot) making squishy noises from his mouth and yelling things at me. I tried to walk really quick, but he got to my car and blocked me from my car door-I nearly ran him over when I finally got him to get away from me.

At my last job (I was laid off last summer), there were lots of uncomfortable moments, too. I had to water the plants outside before the showroom opened, and the cat calls and leers from cars never ended (I would be wearing pant suits w/ flats). It didn't matter...Old men in BMWs, young men in sports cars, packs of workers in beat up trucks, dads in Volvos w/ little kids in the back, hippy surfers in vintage/rusty cars... it didn't matter!!!

This has been happening to me since I was 13 years old. I'm 24 now, and cannot ever adjust-It just makes me feel lower and lower each time I go out. Now I just don't go out. It happens from ALL men...I've even been cat called by police officers in squad cars 4 times!!!(Not just Los Angeles-Boston and New York, too). I was pursued by a Fireman on duty once at my old job.

I remember once I was 16 years old, taking the train home from a museum with a group of other girls (From Boston to Salem) and 2 men followed us onto a train. It started on the platform, where they were catcalling to us. One of them even touched my hair once we were on the train, and we complained to the conductor, who called the police (they also didn't have valid train tickets). The Salem PD waited for us at the station where they were arrested-They drove us home. Funny that 2 years later I'd be catcalled by Salem PD officers in uniform ('Nice Legs' from a squad car at a red traffic light, on a 98 degree 98% humid day).

Don't even get me started on the New York transit system! That's just as bad as walking alone on an LA city street!

I remember being 13 years old spending summers on New Hampshire and Cape Cod beaches with my Nana, and getting cat calls and honks from cars and being 'hit on' by men 4x my age. At age 13.

Even going out with my boyfriend is uncomfortable. We don't go out much, but sometimes we have obligatory things to do, like friends parties, art shows, film openings and the like. I hate them all. If we go to a party or have to go to a lounge, leers come from all sorts of men-The most bewildering are men who have their own girlfriends in their arms while they leer at others! Any bar/lounge/restaurant is uncomfortable.

On my birthday last year we went to a fancy restaurant/lounge in Malibu, and a scary, older man was leering at me for some time. I felt like a piece of braised brisket. As soon as my boyfriend left our corner to refill our drinks, the man came over and rubbed up against me even though he had plenty of room. I asked him to step away from me, and he didn't heed my request until my boyfriend returned and told him to buzz off.

Another quasi recent time was when we went to Medieval Times-The dinner theatre with the horses where you eat w/ your hands. We were waiting in the court area and a man with girlfriend in tow kept leering in my eyes, very aggressively like he was going to beat me up! These leers are not sexy. They are frightening, and are intended to be demeaning.
Later when we went in to wait for seat, the same man found me again, and continued the terror. Understand, this isn't an innocent glance. I kept walking around my boyfriend trying to find places where my BF would block the harasser's view, but the harasser kept moving about to keep me in his eye site.

That's what it is. Its harassment, intended to dehumanize.
It happened at Disneyland. Once, my boyfriend and I were just being seated into the CA Screaming roller coaster, and apparently there was a group of college aged emo kids behind us in line. One of them noticed me, and bent his whole body over the railing to leer in my eyes. I turned the other way so not to make eye contact, but when I looked back the kid was still aggressively leering at me.
Flipping the bird, staring back or being verbally crass yourself doesn't fend off the terrorists. It only provokes them.

Waiting in the ride lines at Disney is no pick nick. Last time we went, a family was behind us while we waited for space mountain; a couple teens, parents and a grampa. Throughout the whole hour wait, the grampa stood so close to me his chest and belly rubbed against my back. Every time I would change spots, or step forward he would follow, and rub against me again. He even tried to maneuver around my boyfriend to stand near me. It makes me even not want to go to Disney anymore. The leerers are so numerous, its impossible to account for each one-Each stare that makes me sink lower and lower into my shell.

Even trips, vacations-anywhere-It's never ending. We went to visit some distant relatives in Louisiana for Christmas, and eating at places there, walking down streets of the boonies was hardly different, however less populated. Beeps at red lights, 'hollers', and the ever dreaded 'leer' remained a constant. We went to eat tiny lobsters at some Cajun seafood joint, and one man at a table beside ours kept staring at me in the eye. To what purpose, I wonder? It made me feel mortally uncomfortable the whole dinner, and he sat with 6 kids and a woman. I wanted to crawl under a rock, and never come out.

A few years ago I was at Logan Airport flying back to LA, and a scary man was glaring intensely at me for about 20 minutes, with that crude 'I'm undressing you in my mind' look; The type of leer you can feel like a heat ray, even if you don't look back. It was the same situation as the Medieval Times episode, where I kept trying to move around and use my boyfriend's body to block the man's view-He kept maneuvering to keep me in his sight. I flipped him the bird, said 'what are you staring at?'. It made a small scene being so close to United's customer service desk (in the gate), and United nearly barred my entry onto the plane-
They made me stand to the side while I cried and while the flight attended yelled at me, so every passanger who boarded could give me a dirty look. They then had me come on the plane last after the pilot 'OK'd' me, but only because my boyfreind would not board-They were trying to insist he board the plane without me because I wasn't allowed. It was absolutely humiliating, and all because I didn't want to be stared at like a piece of meat- Note that I didn't start crying until I was told I wasn't allowed on the plane for flipping the bird at another passanger. (Yes, it was wholly inapropriate for me to raise voice in a busy airport, but I stressed, hadn't slept in 3 days and was tired of the BS and being stared at, while atempting to avoid the harasser). This is a major reason I've given up-I used to 'fight back', but after the airport incident, I stopped.

These are only instances about street harassment, and only the ones I remember in detail without much contemplation. This doesn't account for all the times my mother's husband undresses me with his eyes, the number of times he's pinched my butt or reached down my pants for a 'thong wedgie', or the time he grabbed my genitals.
Nor does this account for the several times I received unsolicited 'back rubs' and 'butt slaps' from managers and bosses at different jobs, then was fired for complaining. This doesn't account for harassment and discomfort by customers and clients at different jobs, either.
This is only the fear and dehumanization I've experienced from complete strangers in public places.

Men:
Please stop this, so I can come out of my house, and be able to walk to the bank or the video store or the art store without fear. So maybe I can go to the garden store again, or enjoy a ride a Disney or a meal at a restaurant without wishing I had worn a burka instead of a pants suit, or shants and a t-shirt.
Thank You.

Dogwood Project

2008-12-30T19:54:00.001-08:00

I would like to post this message on your blog.

Sexual harassment is around us everywhere we go and ignoring it will not make it go away. Neither will brushing it under a rug. Lawmakers and employers are not doing enough to stop this nauseating behavior so most incidents go unreported giving the harasser a false sense their behavior and harassment is acceptable. What is even worse is when someone actually does speak up and reports harassment they often face retaliatory actions from their harasser, employer and others. These retaliatory actions range from personal threats and stalking to the victim losing their job for reporting the behavior and legal actions against them. Feeling the need to help change these issues, I recently started a grass-roots non-profit organization (The Dogwood Project) that provides aid and support to individuals, both men and women alike, who have reported sexual harassment and now face retaliatory actions. I have also just created a facebook page for the organization -- http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=37558609042. Please come join us in the fight against sexual harassment and for women's rights!!

Thanks,

Lucky

Threatning Perv!

2008-12-30T19:50:00.000-08:00

This incident happened in Mesa, AZ and Cali is the closest hollaback I can find, so here's the story..

I'm from Indiana and was living in Mesa temporarily with my boyfriend while attending classes. I was walking back from a string of classes, I was mentally exhausted, and I was dreading going to work that night. The college I went to was right across the street from my apartment complex, so I only had to walk about two blocks home... I crossed the busy street and my habit was to walk through the parking lot of a strip mall situated next to the apartments, then slip through a crudely fashioned "gate" someone had made by ripping out a few planks of the fence. As I am walking into the parking lot, some guy with his window down on the road is like "Hey giiiiirl!" I sometimes laugh these off by yelling "hey" back, which I did, and dismissively raising my hand. I continue walking, only to find that he has pulled into the parking lot and is idling not far off, and he says "Watchu doin?" and I say, "Going home from class and going to work!" briskly. Continue walking. Then, he cuts me off with his car, trapping me awkwardly between the passenger door and an abandoned fast food building. This is where I feel like crapping my pants. I walk around the front of his car to continue walking and he proceeds to ask me where I live, who am I going home to, and if I want to exchange numbers and "hang out" later. I say, "NO, I have a boyfriend" and he asks "Why does that matter? We're just going to hang out." And I say, "No thanks my boyfriend wouldn't like that.." He proceeds to ask me for my number, ask why we can't hang out, to which I promptly yell "Goodday Sir!" and run around the FRONT of the apartment complex so he can't see me entering.

FUCKING CREEP

N Judah in San Francisco

2008-09-24T14:26:00.000-07:00

This guy was shouting comments at every woman that got on the tram... until I snapped a shot of him, then he was pissed at me and followed me off at the next station. This sort of ass makes me ashamed to be a guy, so thanks for this forum! -Tristan

Disgusting

2007-11-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

This man should be arrested. He kept calling out to me, and I was
ignoring him, having a drink with some friends outside my favorite
bar. When he didn't get a reaction, he started saying rude degrading
things. So I took a picture of him. He started calling me a slut, and
tried to rip my camera from me. I ran away with my friends...
abandoning our drinks.
so I don't go back there much anymore.
This happened in Stockton CA. Keep a look out for him. He drives a
dark gray truck with, I thinking it was, red Chinese writing on the
side.

By the way, his english sucks, so you can barely understand what he is
saying. He told me that he likes "white woman."

Santa Barbara harrassment

2007-10-11T20:33:00.000-07:00

To the sexist jerks who yelled out "Show us your tits! Show us your
cans!" to the woman driving next to their White Ford Explorer
(California license plate number 5EWL017) yesterday at Storke &
Hollister, this behavior is NOT OK.

Using that language with someone you don't know is clearly offensive,
and I'm sure you have mothers/sisters/lovers/friends who you would not
want to be treated that way. To harass a woman verbally is still a
VIOLENT act and she could be deeply hurt by what you did. (For
instance, you don't know what kind of traumas she may have
experienced that could be made worse by what you did. Over one in six
American women are victims of sexual assault - see
http://www.rainn.org/statistics/)

For those in the car who did not stop the ringleaders, you are also to
blame but can still speak up and tell your friends they were wrong.

To anyone who knows the driver and his friends, or identifies this car
driving around Santa Barbara, please pass on this message in whatever
way you feel is appropriate.

Thank you.

Hello

2007-10-10T21:13:00.000-07:00

I am the new administrator. I live in L.A. County. Just recently while I was walking home a car sped by me and the guy on the passenger seat yelled something like "You stink when I was fucking you last night...BITCH!!!!!!". Even though the car passed by so quickly I could still tell that he was very proud and amused by himself for screaming this out.

A few years ago I was close to the school parking lot(standing on a sidewalk close to the math building) waiting for my sister to pick me up from college. A guy in a van seemed to come out of nowhere and parked in a spot where he could watch me. He asked me what I was doing alone and said I should watch myself because some people can be dangerous etc. He then asked why was I not getting in my car. Why was I not walking into the parking lot???? Then he said "come in here(his van) for some entertainment." He then asked if I wanted a cigarette. My sister came and when I started walking to her car he thought I was simply walking to the parking lot to get into "my" car and he had no idea I was actually meeting my sis who was about to drive past me.

He followed me in his van while I was walking thinking he was following me to my car. When he noticed I was simply walking to get inside another car that had someone in it.. he FREAKED. He drove away quickly. Just when I got into my sister's car I told her to follow him and told her what he had said while I was waiting for her. My sister followed him and when he noticed he looked even more afraid and stopped the car. He started shaking and asked what we were doing. My sister said she noticed that his pants were unzipped and she could see his boxers. We went and informed the school security guards and a few minutes after we got home, a police officer arrived asking for a description.

It turned out that he was a math tutor at my school. After a while it seemed that he had been dismissed because I never saw him again. When I heard he was a math tutor I realized I had seen him briefly at the lab before. He started screaming hysterically one day because he thought some students at the lab were laughing at him. The instructors just told him that screaming in the lab is not allowed, after they had given him the chance to scream all he wanted to. Students and instructors even came from other classrooms that day to see what the commotion was. The guy seems kind of slow, and this seems to be the reason why they were being lenient with him. The people at the school just seem to feel sorry for him and said"oh he just doesn't know any better!"

Overexposure on BART

2007-09-04T20:56:00.000-07:00

On the BART train to SFO/Daly City 9/2/07.

So, I'm sitting on BART, with my bike.

At MacArthur this guy gets on, sits across from me, opens his paper, spreads his legs and gives me a 'free show'.
He's peeking over the top of his paper to see if I've noticed.

I pull out my camera phone and take a picture while he's waiting for me to "notice".

When he sees that I am taking a picture, I quickly gets up and walks to another car.

At Powell, 2 BART cops get on the train. I tell them about this guy. They apprehend him and he is charged with misdemeanor indecent exposure. I sent the picture to the officers as well.

This guy has done this before. He sat strategically, so that the people on either side of me, in the other seats, couldn't see what he was doing. He was also sitting so that he wasn't in the frame on the BART cameras.

His 'excuse' to the officers...he didn't wear underwear.

Thanks!

Looking for new admin......

2007-08-08T17:13:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention that I no longer have the time to maintain the HBC blog, so I'm looking for new administration. Just get in contact with me at hollabackcali@gmail.com and I will give you all the information that you will need. Thanks so much!

2007-07-30T22:58:00.000-07:00

Running Springs Man Arrested For Stalking A 13 Year Old Girl

Breaking News

By News Staff
Monday, July 30, 2007

The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department announced the arrest of Hugo Bidwell, 54, of Running Springs after an investigation into the stalking of a 13-year-old female. The victim related that the suspect had been annoying her at her place of employment for over a year with sexually explicit comments and requests.

On Monday

July 30th., the suspect contacted the juvenial at her residence and made additional requests and statements. The young girl feared for her safety and the girl then told her mother about the occurrences and she notified the Sheriffs department.

When the deputy arrived, the informant told the deputy that the suspect had left in a blue Dodge Ram pickup truck and supplied the deputy with a license plate number. The deputy later located the suspect driving in Running Springs and conducted a traffic stop. The Deputy conducted an investigation and based on the information obtained, the suspect was placed under arrest for stalking and annoying a child and was booked into the West Valley Detention center in Etiwanda. Bail has been set at $150,000.00.

If local residences have any additional information pertaining to this suspect please contact Dep. Placencia at the Twin Peaks Sheriffs station at 909-336-0600

Sorry Student and more

2007-06-06T16:43:00.000-07:00

Yeah, here I am again, how many times have I posted on here? I guess it'll
never end in my lifetime.

A long time ago when I was taking the bust to work a guy made a comment of
sexual nature about my tattoo then said I look like "that chick from
Charlie's Angels." I tried to explain to him why I didn't want to talk to
him and why his comments weren't welcomed. Once he realized he wasn't
getting anywhere he just stood there and called me a bitch, that I needed to
suck a good dick then I wouldn't be so uptight, etcetera.

I saw my bus, put
my bike on the front and realized that he made no motion to get on the same
bus as me. As I got on he continued talking shit, I turned around and spat
on his shirt. I really thought he was going to jump on the bus and I would
have to stab him with my house keys.

He just stood and asked the bus driver
helplessly "Did you see that? What are you going to do?" "I saw what you
were doing, I'm not going to do anything," she said, and closed the doors. I
was lucky to not be arrested that day, and afterwards I still cried because
I hate those situations, but afterwards I finally didn't have all those
scenarios of what I should have done or said running through my head. I had
a pretty good feeling he did, though, and that made me feel good too.

Just a couple weeks ago I was crossing the street, I had the lights right of
way, a guy turning right honked at me. I stopped in front of his car and
pointed to the "walk" signal, then continued walking. He honked again and
yelled "shove it up your ass, ho!" I wish spitting came more as a reflex.

I took a lifeguard training class this last semester at Laney College and
got certified. Unfortunately there was a creep in my class. One time I was a
drowning victim and he and someone else were supposed to be saving me, while
my hands were held above my head and I couldn't move them he slid his hands
down both sides of my body and tried to pretend he was just trying to help
me. I let this slide because it was quick.

Next, towards the end of class I
had my bathing suit straps pulled to the side a little so I could get some
sun under where the straps usually are. As I'm wading in the pool he reaches
and grabs my strap and puts his hand on me while eagerly pushing through the
water. "Your straps..." I just said "no." Then he would linger after classes
to see what I was doing.

This guy was a shitty student who had no idea what
he was doing the whole time and was so stupid. I wouldn't be surprised if he
took the class just to be with girls in their suits. I warned my teacher
that if anything went down, like my elbow breaking his nose, that it would
be because of him trying to touch me again. Unfortunately he came very
close... but for some reason stopped himself just before I felt the urge to
backhand him.

Monica reporting from Oakland

2007-04-06T18:23:00.000-07:00

So I'm walking out of a store on Saturday around 5pm.. the most disgusting looking man drives up against the side walk and starts screaming obscenities at me in spanish, which I didn't understand. After making kissing noises, barking(yes barking) as if I can speak dog, and completely humiliating and ruining my evening, he drives off in his stupid beat up car!!

I'm so pissed, at him and at me...why is it that I keep thinking if stuff happens I'll react, I'll cuss back..but nothing, I just kept walking like it didn't bother me....it really did...

Driver's Ed

2007-03-31T08:24:00.000-07:00

If you know anyone who is seeking driver's training, advise them to not take it at Saturn Lily Driving School in Hayward, CA.

I am 16 years old and I took it there about a month and a half ago. I could not learn anything because I was in fear of the man who was my driving instructor. His name is Jose, also known as "Pepe." On the very first day of my driver's training, he asked me to unzip my jacket because he said he wanted to "read my shirt." At the time, I didn't think he had any ulterior motives, so I unzipped it and he then said, "Nice."

At the next session, was teaching me how to back up out of a parking space when he told me to stop. He told me I had "beautiful hands" and he began touching my hand and stroking my arm. He even made me hold his hand. He did that on several occasions throught that session, and even the next one was well. I was scared and I coudn't concentrate because his presence made me feel very uncomfortable.

I told my parents about this, and I think they are going to file a complaint against him. So please, don't be like me and have $250 spent only to be touched by some poor, perverted driving instructor.

A day at the grocery store...

2007-03-25T13:15:00.000-07:00

I go to the Pak N Save at 40th and San Pablo to shop, this time my boyfriend was wandering about the store when this guy asked if he could use my phone number at the checkout counter. It was really sad because this guy stank of drink and it was barely noon.

Monica

Reporting from Oakland

2007-02-25T09:36:00.000-08:00

Well, the fore mentioned Laney Masturbator came back again, did the samething, same computer and everything. I slowly packed my things like nothing was happening and went into the other part of the math lab. My math teacher,who was there last time also, called security.

We waited for a couple minutes and before we knew it the cops came and dragged his ass out in cuffs! I filled out some paperwork, the cop told me that he lifted the guys shirt up and saw his boner (blegh!).

Also, the guy was on probation AND had already been 86ed from the computer labs at Laney. He confessed and signed a statement moments later, now he will have a restraining order for all Peralta colleges. The police also described similar situations where a man used to just stand by the Laney pool and the teacher would ask him to leave (wrong move! ALWAYS CALL SECURITY/POLICE!) until one day he actually reached through the fence and tried to grab a girl.

Moral of story: These guys start slow and work their way up.

The picture attached : This man at Barnes & Noble in El Cerrito said "Now that is a perfect ass" asI looked at art books by the restroom. I turned and said "What the fuck did you say?" "Nothing, I was just thinking aloud," he said with a grin.

"Well, I know you weren't talking me."

"No, just thinking out loud." I decided seconds after relieving myself of his presence that I wanted a picture. But he kept disappearing! I knew he was up to something, so I kept trying to find him.

Seconds later I heard "SECURITY, THIS MAN JUST GRABBED ME!" I knew it was him and followed him and took a blurry pic as he headed for the exit,

"I just brushed up against you, asshole!" security stopped him and the cops got called, but the guy got away anyways. The security guard told me it happens all the time.

Advice to everyone, I know we've been told to get loud when these things happen, but if you act like nothing happened then make sure the cops get called so the guy doesn't have the chance to escape you will be very satisfied to press charges on these fuckers. Unless public spaces definitely get loud, but in these cases be covert and shit so you can watch him be humiliated.

Monica in Oakland (again)

2007-02-18T13:04:00.000-08:00

I went to Lincoln HS in San Francisco. There was a hallway that I had to go through to get to a certain class. Everytime I did, the kids standing there would call me white bitch, spit on me, grab my butt and my crotch so hard that it hurt, kick me and pull my hair. I reported it several times to the school counselor. Each time, her resonse was: "Honey, I can't do anything about it if you don't give me their names."

Growing up in S.F., CA I've had countless, countless incidences, including 3 horrific incidences with my doctors. When I was young I just thought that that's the way things are. Never thought of changing it because of people who responded like the school counselor did.

Now I'm 40, my son is 15, and I teach him how to respect not only women, but all people. It's really so sad that this sort of thing is still happening.

Four Times In One Day!

2007-02-14T11:09:00.000-08:00

I recently moved from the quiet subarbs where catcalls and other forms of sexual harrassment occurred maybe once every 2-3 years to the big city of San Francisco where it happens 2 out of 3 times I leave the house.

First, Iwould like to thank you for the article in the SF Chronicle today. It made me feel better about the whole situation to know that there are a group of women, also victims of this, that band together to help support each other. Coming from a small city where I was unaccusomted to this unwanted attention, I was quickly overwhelmed and very depressed after moving. I felt dirty, helpless, scared, and as if I had lost my independence. I would not be able to leave my house without being harassed in some way or another by men unless I was in the company of a man. I was angry and upset that in this day and age a grown woman like myself would not be able to go out alone or with girlfriends and not be given unwanted attention. I quickly became depressed and refused to leave the house unless absolutely necessary. I have since grown more accustomed to city-life and the article today in the paper gave me comfort to know that I was not alone and that we can stand up for ourselves in some way through this website. Here are my harassement stories. 4 times in one day is ridiculous!

I was on the bus seated near the front for safety when an elderly man suddenly got on and stood extremely close to me and just stood there leeringat me. I was very uncomfortable. This endured for what felt like an eternity but he eventually went away. I was upset but not too flustered.

I got off the bus to purchase groceries and while standing outside picking fruit in this middle class neighborhood (Irving Street SF), another elderlyman stepped up behind me so close that I could feel his breath on my neckand began rubbing my back! "Get away from me!! Dont touch me!!" I yelled and quickly stepped away. In what I percieve as an attempt to mock me, he reached out several times in an attempt to touch me again! I quickly began walking away. What followed were racist remarks from him. I was angry after this and felt helpless. I wished that I had pushed him or slapped his hands away but I presume that would be against the law and I could potentially be arrested for such actions. I was quite shaken after this and hated myself for having to move to this city.

My next errand this day was to go down to Civic Center. As I was stepping out of the Muni/Bart station, a man walking towards me grabbed my upper armas I passed him and gave it a firm squeeze. Then he leered at me with a peverted expression! It happened so fast I had no time to react. By the time the event registered and I turned around to even see what had happened he was at least 40 feet away and leering at me. I was on the verge of tears. I felt dirty and violated yet there was nothing I could do about it. I felt so helpless. I refused to cry so I continued on my way.

Less than 5 minutes later I passed another man on the street and he looked me up and down and said "Heeeey" It is difficult to describe but even the way he said it was peverted and believe me when I say I was not overly sensitive at this point and mistaking a friendly hello for harssment. This man looked at me as if he was undressing me with his eyes. At this point, I could take it no more and broke down on the streets of downtown to cry. I felt so awful inside and incredibly overwhelmed by the 4 harassments I had endured.

It is sad that in this day and age, things like this should still happen in modern day society.I read in the paper that many men criticize hollaback.com as they say it is just a way of communicating and innocent compliments may be seen as harassment, well I disagree. They do not know how it feels to be a victim of this.

Furthermore, there is a clear difference between an innocent compliment and harssment. Once at San Francisco Shopping Mall, a man approached me and said "I hope this does not alarm you but I just would like to tell you that you are beautiful." and then he walked away. He did not invade my personal space, did not attempt to touch me, and did not look at me in a peverted way. It was kind. I do believe there is a difference.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. It feels good that there is a place where I can tell others about this.

Julia from San Francisco, CA

My Front Yard

2007-02-11T10:53:00.000-08:00

This happened 5 years ago, before hollaback. I was young and a newlywed. My husband and I rented a beautiful little home in Laguna Beach. It was small, but in a wonderful neighborhood with high hedges and a picket fence in the front yard. Every morning my husband would leave for work, I would shower, then go out front to get the paper.

One morning I walked out and to my surprise, a guy wearing jogging shorts, t-shirt and tennis shoes had come thru our gate and was standing in the front yard relieving himself. I shyly said, "excuse me". He looked over his shoulder at me, then turned around. He had the front of his shorts down and was exposing himself. I immediately went in and locked the door. We had a big window in front, so I opened the drapes and looked out. He was just going out the gate when he glanced back and saw me. Then he looked up and down the street and came back in the gate.

I was terrified. He walked up to the porch and started taking off his clothes. Off with the shirt and shorts and he was naked with shoes and socks. He grabbed hold of himself and started masturbating. I couldn't move, I was only in my bath robe so I knelt down. He just stood there masturbating right in front of me. Every time I looked up he would smile at me. After he finished he took his time putting his clothes on and left. I called my husband and he came home and we called the police. Although the evidence was all over the porch they were of little help.

The officer said, " well. these guys come out of the woodwork in warm weather." I wonder what it is that makes guys do this? I have never been that frightened in my life. We moved 2 months later.

JB

I don't want to sit on your lap, creep.

2007-02-02T21:52:00.000-08:00

I am so glad I found this site and think that it is very important for everyone to know about what really happens to women and how unsafe it is everywhere.

You can hardly go anywhere without having to be on the defense against some very sick people. I went to Prescott Arizona for my Dad’s graduation. When went out to eat, I am trying to remember what it was called so I can get as specific as possible. I know they had glasses from another restaurant there called “The Office.”

As we got out of the car a man in a wheel chair started talking to my aunt and my grandparents. I stuck beside my dad because he creeped me out. In front of ALL of my family, parents, brother, aunt, grandpaents, this man came up behind me and hit the back off my legs so that I fell in his lap. I got up and got in front of my dad. I think they didn’t notice or were just trying to get insdie to escape the crazy man. And he tried it AGAIN!

I was scared and didn’t know what to say or do. I wish I had said something to the creep, I felt used and gross because I let him do that to me.

Laura – Riverside, Calif

2007-01-29T15:40:00.000-08:00

I was at school, Laney College to be exact, doing math homework in the math lab, which is set up with rows of computers on either side of long tables. I noticed a man I was facing breathing like he had run there and payed no mind. I later noticed him turn the monitor of his computer towards the window we were both sitting next to so that others might not be able to see his browsing. I still payed no mind (maybe it was a very private e-mail?).

I space back into math land and suddenly realize the guy is panting hardcore, I look at the reflection in the window to see him hunched and vigorously masturbating through his sweater. I considered getting up to yell "CAN YOU FERVENTLY MASTURBATE SOMEWHERE ELSE!?!" But I was scared he would pull some Multiple Miggs type of shit and fling jizz at me.

I told the computeradministrator and he quiety went up to him and said something, then the guy left. I felt disgust, then disdain, which is what I feel more and more each time I go outside. Sometimes I imagine forcing myself to vomit on the menwho harass me.I've started bringing my camera with me, so I'll be posting more often, I get harssed 2 times or more a day on the street.

Needless to say I haveanger problems with no outlet, so I'm trying something new to cope with my murderous rage. I already got my first two pictures, but forgot my USB cable, So they'll be on their way soon. My strategy is to pretend I'm giving them my contact info, but it'll actually be a paper with the Holla Back Caliwebsite on it so they can see their pictures when I post them! We'll see howthat works out I guess. I'm also going to put up flyers for the wesite so women might check it out.

Monica, Oakland CA

Creep

2007-01-21T18:07:00.000-08:00

My boyfriend and I were hanging out at the beach lateone night. After a while my boyfriend needed to go to the bathroom. I asked him if anyone was in the bathroom and he replied with "No." So I stood halfwayin the men's bathroom talking with him. As myboyfriend was finishing up with washing his hands aolder man who had to be in his 40's walked passed meto enter the bathroom. I said "Excuse me" and backed out of the men's room. My boyfriend was just walking out by then. The older man then snickered "I'm sure it's nothing you haven't seen before." I couldn'tbelieve it and I didn't know what to say. I'm stillmad that I didn't say anything to him. I was seventeen when it happened.

S. Pismo Beach, CA

Berkeley Pervert

2006-12-29T16:36:00.000-08:00

I was picking up my mail from the Berkeley Main post office on Thursday evening. As I was coming out, I see a man in a knit cap and grey sweatshirt with navy blue shorts crossing the street coming toward me. I was thinking, ah a guy coming out from exercising at the Y, good for him. There is a YMCA across the street from the post office. I get in my car. The guy comes up close to my passenger window. I see him grabbing his shorts. I was thinking I must be seeing things. Then I see him grab his penis out of his shorts and masturbating. Iwas disgusted, infuriated, pist off. I pulled out of my space and drove around the block hoping to find a police officer close by, but didn't see one. When I came back around the post office, he was gone. I wanted to scream...if you can't control yourself, how about I help you control yourself with a pair of scissors! You pervert! Even though this happens all the time, I'm still in a state of shock when it happens. I forget to yell. I need to remember to yell out and make a scene. Leteveryone around me know these guys are perverts. They need help or get castrated!

'Tis The Season For Scumbugs

2006-12-17T17:24:00.000-08:00

"I was out christmas shopping at the mall and decided to stop by victoria's secret to pick something up for my best friend. When I left the mall and headed to my car in the parking lot, a guy who was older points
to the victoria secret bag and says, "Got something nice to wear for me in that bag sweet cheeks?", so i just look him right in the eye and walk off. It's sad thatI can't even just go christmas shopping without being
bothered by some pervert."

- Lisa, 20

Even with my boyfriend...

2006-11-30T20:17:00.000-08:00

I was walking down the street in San Diego, CA, with my boyfriend, and several middle-aged men walked out of a restaurant that we were walking in front of. They were passing us up as one of them looked back, nudged his friend and said "Damn, that guy is lucky. Look what he gets to f*** everynight."

I have never been more humiliated. And I wonder just how many women a man like that picks up with those lines?

Simone, San Diego, CA

The Man Who Liked Cheerleaders

2006-11-21T16:40:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody, I'm a competitive cheerleader in Southern California, and I'm a high school student. At one competition I went to, I was sitting down with my team, it was a couple hours before it was time for us to go warm up, and I saw a man sitting down, alone. I was wondering why an older man would attend a competition all by himself, when I realized that he was reading something. I thought it might be a competition program or something, but no, it was a porn magazine!

Then, to my surprise, he locks eyes with me, after noticing me staring at him. He licks his lips and says "See anything you like?" and then he winks at me. Now, I'm not one of those high school girls that looks older than usual. I look young for my age, so it's obvious that I'm a minor. I thought this man was really out of line, especially at a cheerleading competition with teams with ages ranging from 4 to 18.

Sorry about the break...

2006-11-07T16:36:00.000-08:00

Fortunately we're back!

Submitted by Kaylynn from San Fransisco, CA

"I was walking with some friends by the beach in a bikini, when a man who looked about 40 came up behind me and made a comment that was not intelligible. After that, he laughed and untied my bikini top. I was completely mortified at what this man did! What right did he have to untie my top! I want to know why somebody would do this. Why would somebody embarrass a woman like this!!! It made me so infuriated!"

Ass Hats Downtown

2006-10-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

This past Friday night my roommate and I decided to walk around downtown just to get out of the house. We were dressed in jeans, sweaters, and tennis shoes, NOT that what we were wearing has a damn thing to do with it. As we walked in front of a bar a guy started walking next to my roommate and making growling and barking sounds. I don't know if he was just trying to scare us or what but I turned to him and said, "Seriously? Is that what you're really doing right now?" At that point, he stopped walking with us but stood watching us walk away while he loudly sang "Shake That Ass For Me" by Eminem. I turned and yelled for him to shut up, not that it did any good.

As the night went on and we continued our walk, several other ass hats made lewd comments or gestures as they passed us. We started keeping track and we were up to 5 different guys by the time we went home. What the hell? Can't two women just walk around after dark without this crap?

My being a woman is not an invitation to degrade, demean, harass, or even speak to me, let alone make me feel unsafe in my own town.

Posted by: G

2006-10-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

Me and my friend Sarah were on our way home from cheerleading practice, when two guys walked past us and started yelling stuff like "hey chica wanna do some cheers for me" and licking there lips.

We just ignored them and started walking faster. it made me feel horrible. im proud of being a cheerleader because its one of the few things im actaully good at but at that second they made me feel like shit for being a cheerleader. i wish i could have gotten a photo of those slime balls but i just wanted to get out of there fast.

Becky T., San Diego, CA

Flasher in San Francisco

2006-10-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

I was walking my dog back from Lafayette Park last Wednesday, enjoying the sunshine and outdoors, and I may have smiled pleasantly at this "nice young man" because i'm from the South and that's what we do.

Then I noticed that he had his penis out of his pants andwas woggling it at me in a disgusting fashion and hissing something menacing at me. "You like that?" I called him a pig and kept walking, but the whole way home I felt alternately furious and helpless and a little like crying. And I made up all these other scenarios where I'd followed him screaming until he ran away in shame. Or that I'd laughed at him and mocked him. Or that I had a cell phone on me and called the police.

It was awful that this disgusting freak had created this power over me and my mood. If you're around there, look for a red headed guy, relatively normal looking, college age or younger, wearing athletic gear. He'll be the one with his dick hanging out. I've been carrying my cell phone camera in "hopes" of catching him at it again. Maybe I should carry some sewing shears too, just in case.

-Jemima

San Francisco, CA

School Parking Lot Harassment

2006-10-17T16:54:00.000-07:00

"As I was leaving school about a year ago, a guy, about my age was blatantly staring at my chest. I gave him a mean look that I thought would get him to stop. Instead he replied with 'What, can't a guy check out a nice rack?' and smiled. I was so shocked and angry. I was shaking the whole way home. Why can't guys like this just shut their mouths? It bothers me that they can get away with something like this. It's embarrassing and makes me feel like shit."

Therese, CA

He confronted me in the parking lot...

2006-10-13T14:58:00.000-07:00

"A few months ago, I was leaving work (I work at a coffeehouse) and heading towards my car when I heard two men laughing. I looked back and they attempted to cover their smirks. I turned back, and they went at it again. I turned around and gave them a look like, "what are you doing??" and then one of them said "I'm sorry, we were just wondering what you look like naked." I was appalled!! What gives anyone the right to say something like that to me!"

-Janet, Anaheim, CA

He Watched Me For An Hour...

2006-10-10T10:02:00.000-07:00

"The man in this truck sat in the parking lot of Barnes and Nobles for over an hour, watching me talk on the phone and read.

First, he parked right next to me and rolled down his window, motioning for me to do the same. He kept winking at me and making obscene motions with his hands.

Disgusted, I moved to a new spot 3 rows over. In desperation, he moved a few spaces over from me. I believe he was masturbating, because his window was still down and I could hear him moaning and it looked like he was.

After this started, I left."

-Anna

A Tip For Our Visitors

2006-10-06T22:34:00.000-07:00

"/Le chinga/ is Mexican Spanish for (I'll) fuck her.

I'm aware of the holla policy on race and ethnicity, but I think that women should know what's being said to or about them."

-Anonymous

Added information due to confusion:

" In Mexico chingar means "to fuck someone" or "to fuck something up". In Spain it means to bother, an advantage, or to work hard. "

View From The Past...

2006-10-04T07:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks for a great idea - love the visual revelations of abusers on your site...as a young woman in the 1960s and 1970s I was frequently harrassed on the streets of Philadelphia and San Francisco. Public masturbation in the Phila. subway (and the main reading room of the San Francisco library, no less) were just two of the more obvious experiences.

My personal favorite was when I decided - in an instant - to holla back. Standing in front of a rush hour crowd at a busy intersection in SF, I felt a man press his erection against my back. He pushed hard, thinking I would be too frightened to move with speeding traffic in front of me. Instead, I spun around and said very loudly, "Get back in your pants - You are disgusting!" As it turned out, he could not get away with dozens of people standing directly behind him...they all laughed at him and my day immediately improved.

T. Brown, Tampa, FL

Double Trouble

2006-10-01T13:11:00.000-07:00

So the other night my friend and I were picking up a video for a girl's night in at the Hollywood Video in San Luis Obispo. As we were walking up to the door, I noticed a homeless man sitting against the wall about 5 feet from the door. I hate to sterotype, but I was sort of expecing some sort of comment from him and sure enough, I wasn't disappointed.

As we passed him on our way in, he mumbled something incoherent that sounded like "How you doin''" and then whistled at us. As I am not technologically savy enough to own a camera phone, and because we didn't feel like we were in any danger, my friend and I just rolled our eyes and ignored him.

Of course, we had to pass him again when we left the store, and once more he couldn't seem to keep his mouth shut. This time he told us we were "double trouble" as he leered at us. Gross.

Can't I just pick up a movie without being harassed? Again, we chose to ignore him rather than make a comment. At least I have a place to rant about being harassed. It is so important for women to realize that just because this kind of annyoing shit happens to us all the time, it is not okay and we shouldn't have to simply accept it.

Submitted by G

Update Coming Later Today..

2006-09-30T14:52:00.000-07:00

I will post an update later today, but for now, I just want to remind all visitors that we have a forum. The link is located to the right.

Please check it out! There are lots of interesting topics, and some very interesting people.

Creepy Car

2006-09-25T20:26:00.000-07:00

"I was walking home from work and I cut through a shopping center in Oxnard. When I walked by this car, 2 men got out and stood there, looking me up and down. One made an obscene gesture and then told me a was a "hot piece of ass". I was thoroughly disgusted, so when they started walking away, I took a picture of their car."

- Sarah J. Ventura County

Creepy Sombrero Men

2006-09-14T19:37:00.000-07:00

I received this story from a close friend of mine.

"So me and my friend are in my car in downtown Oxnard and we're at a stop light. About four 30, maybe 40-ish looking men with big sombreros on kept looking at us. Finally, they started making inapporpriate gestures yelling at us. I couldn't understand what they were saying, but the gestures pretty much spoke for themselves. My friend took a picture of the license plate, but she can't find it now. :( "

Our first entry!!

2006-09-10T13:33:00.000-07:00

"i was on my way to the House of Blues with my friend, Lisa and these two guys in a pick-up started honking at us and asking "what fine ass bitches like us were doing all alone". We flipped them off and then kept on walking, i would have taken a pic of their truck but it was too dark.

Karen , LA, CA"

Let's get the boring stuff out of the way...

2006-09-04T12:09:00.000-07:00

If you are a woman, not only from California, but from anywhere in the world, and are tired of being harrassed, commented on, or generally bothered by men on the street, whip out your camera or phone and take a picture of the jack ass.

Email the picture, along with the location (as vague or specific as you'd like) and any comments you have on the incident to hollabackcali@gmail.com. We will post it for everyone to see.

Please note that racist, homophobic, classist, or otherwise bigoted comments will not be posted. We reserve the right to either edit the offensive material or simply not post it. All photos and text remain the property of their creator, however, by sending a photo or text to hollabackcali@gmail.com, you give us permission to use it on HollaBackCali.blogspot.com.