GirlGI | Girl Gone International Issue 9 | Page 53

I’VE BEEN harassed all over the world,
from my hometown to all corners of the
earth, by little boys and old men and
everyone in between. My time in Egypt
was particularly formative, not because
of the harassment itself, but because I h ad
a community of amazing women to talk
about it with. For the first time, I could
explore the nuances of harassment, as
well as the complexities that class, race,
gender orientation and nationality bring
into the equation. Between my activism
at home and leading groups of students
abroad, I’ve heard hundreds of stories of
street harassment, from people of all
identities. Based on my experiences and
those stories entrusted to me, here are my
best tips for keeping yourself safe and sane
on the road.

Safety First

Delia Harrington, 26, Boston, USA
‘I’m a Girl Gone International because I
love learning from brilliant women from
every part of the world.’

The most important thing is that you’re safe.
There are as many ways to respond to
harassment as there are people in the
world, but whatever you choose, let safety
be your guide. Part of why street harassment is so incredibly upsetting is that we
never truly know which exchange will turn
from starring or one comment into following, a back and forth or physical harm. The
threat is always there for harassment to turn
into sexual and physical assault, or death.
With that in mind, put your safety front and
center. Perhaps a dark, lonely subway
platform isn’t the place to confront a
harasser.