Street Harassment – How to Handle Unwanted Attention 🚫
Issue 5: The Broken Padlock
A Walk That Doesn’t Feel Safe 🚶♀️
You’re on your way home, just trying to get from A to B. It’s daylight, a public place, and yet, someone won’t leave you alone. A comment, a whistle, a stare that lingers too long. You ignore it. Keep walking. But then they follow you, their tone shifts, and suddenly, your heart pounds. Is this just annoying, or is it becoming dangerous?
For many, this isn’t just an occasional nuisance, it’s a regular occurrence. A survey by the Greater London Authority found that two-thirds of women and girls reported they have faced street harassment in the UK. (london.gov.uk)
Street harassment can feel intimidating, unsettling, and even frightening, but understanding why it happens, how to respond, and ways to reduce risk can help you stay in control.
🔍 Understanding Street Harassment
Street harassment is unwanted and intrusive behaviour that happens in public spaces. It can range from verbal comments and gestures to physical intimidation. While some may dismiss it as harmless, the impact can be lasting, causing distress and making people feel unsafe in everyday situations.
What counts as street harassment?
🚶♂️ Unwanted comments, catcalling, or whistling
🚨 Following or blocking someone's path
👀 Staring in a way that feels intimidating
🛑 Physical gestures or inappropriate touching
🎭 Using social norms as an excuse for invasive behaviour
Who does it affect?
Street harassment can happen to anyone, but studies show that women, girls, and LGBTQ+ individuals are disproportionately targeted. It can happen at any time of day, in both crowded and quiet areas, and often leaves the victim feeling powerless or unsure of how to respond.
Why does it happen?
Many offenders rely on social norms that make it difficult for people to react. Some harassers seek power or control, while others excuse their behaviour as "just a joke" or "a compliment." Regardless of intent, street harassment is never acceptable and has real consequences for those who experience it.
Street harassment isn’t just about discomfort, it’s about safety, and knowing how to respond can make all the difference.
🛡️ Situational Crime Prevention Strategies
Street harassment can feel unpredictable, but there are ways to reduce risk and respond effectively. Situational crime prevention focuses on making it harder for offenders to act while increasing your ability to stay safe.
Increase natural surveillance
Making sure you are visible to others reduces the opportunity for harassment. Offenders are less likely to act when they know they can be seen and held accountable.
👀 Walk in well-lit, busy areas where others are present. Harassers rely on isolation to target people, so staying in populated spaces makes you a harder target.
🚦 Choose routes with CCTV or visible security patrols where possible. The presence of cameras and security staff can deter offenders.
🚶♂️ Maintain awareness of your surroundings without looking panicked. Confident body language can make a difference in how potential offenders perceive you.
Extend guardianship
This strategy involves staying connected with others who can provide support or intervene if needed. Harassers are less likely to persist if they see that you are not alone or that someone is watching out for you.
📲 Let a friend or family member know your route and estimated arrival time. If anything feels off, they will be aware of your location.
👥 Walk with others when possible, especially in isolated areas. A group is far less likely to be targeted than an individual.
🏬 Step into a shop or public place if you feel uncomfortable. Seeking help from shop staff or other people in public spaces can disrupt harassment and create a safer environment.
How to report harassment on public transport
London’s Tube network has posters advising passengers on how to deal with and report harassment. If you experience or witness harassment while travelling, you can:
📞 Call 61016 – This is the British Transport Police text service to report incidents discreetly.
🚔 Tell a member of staff – Transport workers are trained to handle reports and can assist in finding a safe place.
🎥 Use CCTV and witness reports – If a crime occurs, authorities can use surveillance footage to investigate.
Street harassment isn’t the fault of those who experience it, but understanding these strategies can help people feel more in control.
🧠 Test Your Knowledge – Street Harassment Awareness
Question 1
If you feel someone is following you, what is the best action to take?
a) Confront them and demand they leave you alone
b) Ignore them and continue walking as normal
c) Change direction, move toward a busy area, or enter a shop
d) Walk faster and hope they stop
Question 2
Which of the following is not a recommended bystander intervention technique?
a) Creating a distraction to break the interaction
b) Asking the victim if they need help
c) Directly confronting the harasser aggressively
d) Seeking assistance from nearby authorities or workers
Question 3
True or False: Street harassment is only serious if it involves physical contact.
✅ Answers to the Street Harassment Awareness Test
Question 1: If you feel someone is following you, what is the best action to take?
Answer: c) Change direction, move toward a busy area, or enter a shop.
Moving toward a crowded place or entering a public building increases safety and makes it harder for someone to continue following you without being noticed.
Question 2: Which of the following is not a recommended bystander intervention technique?
Answer: c) Directly confronting the harasser aggressively.
Confrontation can escalate the situation and put both the victim and the bystander at greater risk. Instead, distraction, checking in with the victim, or seeking assistance from staff or authorities are safer and more effective responses.
Question 3: True or False: Street harassment is only serious if it involves physical contact.
Answer: False.
Street harassment can be verbal, non-verbal, or physical. Even if no physical contact occurs, persistent unwanted attention, intimidation, and threatening behaviour can have a serious impact on someone’s sense of safety and well-being.
🔜 Next Issue: How Criminals Use Fake Authority to Trick You
Someone claiming to be a police officer stops you on the street. A person in a high-visibility vest tells you your car is illegally parked. A “meter reader” says they need to check your water supply. They seem official, but something feels off.
Criminals often impersonate authority figures to manipulate people into handing over money, information, or access to their homes. This isn’t just about fake police—scammers pose as council workers, security staff, and even bank officials.
Next week, we’ll cover:
🚨 The most common fake authority scams and how they work.
🕵️♂️ How to tell the difference between real and fake officials.
⚠️ What to do if someone claiming to be in authority approaches you.
⚠️ Disclaimer
While the advice provided in this newsletter can help reduce the risk of becoming a victim of crime, no security measure or strategy can eliminate the risk entirely. The goal is to reduce the risk to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP), acknowledging that some level of risk will always remain due to the unpredictability of human behaviour and the methods used by offenders. According to criminological theories such as Situational Crime Prevention (Clarke, 1983), the most effective way to prevent crime is to alter the environment or circumstances that allow it to occur. However, even with the best precautions, risk can never be reduced to zero. The only way to completely remove the risk is to eliminate the target—in other words, remove the opportunity for crime to occur altogether. This reinforces the importance of layered security measures, vigilance, and ongoing risk assessment to effectively mitigate threats.