"If you can't slap 'em, snap 'em" - Hollaback
Credit: Maria Teijeiro/Thinkstock
'Hollaback has been a resource for women for the last several years. It's a place for you to post photos of anyone who has harassed you on the street - those guys making cat calls or lewd comments as you try to make your way to work or lunch with a friend. It can easily ruin your day, and can sometimes spiral into a frightening experience. However, Hollaback offers a place to get a little payback.
A woman based in New York City named Emily May started Hollaback in 2005 as a place for women to partly get the relief of telling their stories, partly to deter street harassers and diminish how frequently it occurs, and partly for victims to regain some power through posting the accused street harassers' photo for everyone to see. The site's tagline is "If you can't slap 'em, snap 'em" - and people immediately took to the novel idea. Hollaback became an instant favorite among feminist bloggers who helped spread the word and since then, it has grown into a huge concept, with satellite blogs across the globe. Here is Emily May on the background of Hollaback:
Welcome to the Movement, from Hollaback's new Executive Director from Emily May on Vimeo.
iPhone App on its way...if enough donations are raised
Now, Hollaback users are getting an even better way to take advantage of the site, including a map of harassment hotspots so people - primarily women - can easily identify and avoid these areas.
The site also wants to provide an iPhone app so that victims can immediately upload images and stories to the site when harassment happens. However, the project is currently trying to raise enough funds to build the app. It is up on Kickstarter and around $6,000 more is needed within the next 8 days if it is to get off the ground. Here's what the app may look like:
Image via Hollaback on Kickstarter
However, CNET points out that "as Hollaback grows in scope, so too does the potential for its abuse. (We've seen this with other sites, such as Unvarnished, which TechCrunch recently called "a clean, well-lighted place for defamation.") At Hollaback, subjectivity is a factor; one person may experience an incident as harassment, while another might just shrug it off as a minor annoyance of urban living. And what's stopping people from trying to exact revenge on an enemy or grudge through the widespread public humiliation afforded by the Internet?"
This is an important point, though Emily May says there are safeguards to prevent this, including an editorial board that screens the reports before posting, and publishes just the basics, including the type and location of harassment, while taking the time to vet stories that include photos.
Emily May paving the way for safer public transportation
Emily May has been recognized as a major change-maker for helping women feel more powerful on the street. In addition to Hollaback, May started up New Yorkers for Safe Transit in 2008, which is a coalition of organizations and advocates working to eliminate harassment and assaults, particularly gender- or discrimination-based, on public transportation in New York City. By raising public awareness (and what better way than a popular blog!), building a sense of community, and facilitating policy changes, NYFST is helping ensure public transit is safe for commuters - something all cities should focus on.
Many women feel too shy or embarrassed about an incident to hollaback - but taking advantage of the resource can mean a great deal of empowerment. Here's one woman telling the story of why she hollas back:
If someone harasses you, you can simply take out your smart phone, snap a photo of the perpetrator, and upload your story. (Yes, it is legal to take a photo of people out on the street and post them online. You're in a public space, and so are they.) Often, the simple fact of recording the fact that they're bothering you is enough to shut a harasser up. Still, safety is key, so take time to check out harassment hotspots before you head out, and avoid them when you can.
And if you want to help get that iPhone app off the ground, head over to Kickstarter and make a donation!
