Street harassment hemi wan form of sexual harassment wea ol perpetrators hemi usually ol man mo boe. Hemi taem wan man hemi makem rabis toktok long ol woman wea hemi stap insaed long wan public space. Public spaces hemi includem ol woman wea hemi stap wokboat long rod or hemi stap insaed long wan bus.
Street harassment hemi taem ol man hemi stap singaot long ol woman wetem toktok olsem ‘Awo’ mo ol narafala toktok wea hemi rabis fasin. I gat some toktok wea hemi no sexually explicit bae ol woman hemi harem no gud. For example, i gat ol man wea hemi stap singaot long wan woman ‘Hello’ fulap taem afta woman hemi harem no gud. Or taem wan woman hemi stap insaed long wan bus, ol man hemi toktok tumas long wan woman mo askem fulap questions wea hemi no business blong hem.
Ol nara fasin wea hemi stap insaed long street harassment hemi includem ‘kissing noises’, whistling, following wan woman long rod, takem picture blong woman, exposing private parts blong hem mo touchem wan woman wea hemi no givem consent.
I gat fulap perpetrator blong street harassment wea hemi ting se hemi funny mo harmless blong makem fasin olsem ia. Olgeta hemi no recognizem se wanem wea hemi makem hemi no stret. Olgeta hemi no understandem se olgeta hemi no gat raet blong makem wan toktok long saed blong woman’s body mo clothing blong olgeta.
Taem ol man mo boe hemi makem street harassment, hemi restrictem freedom of movement mo freedom of expression blong ol woman mo gel. Olgeta hemi harem no gud mo olgeta hemi feel se hemi no sef.
Tok tok i go long ol man mo boe
- Fasin blong street harrassmnent hemi happen long wan public space, usually bitwin wan man mo woman. Hemi no matter sapos yu save woman ia, yu no gat raet blong makem rabis toktok long wan women.
- Rabis toktok hemi no wan ‘compliment’. Yu no ting se ol woman hemi likem harem toktok long saed blong body mo clothing blong olgeta. Hemi no matter wanem wea hemi wearem, yu no gat raet blong sakem toktok wea yu wantem – mind your own business!
- Ol woman mo gel hemi gat raet blong freedom of expression mo freedom of movement. Plis respectem rights blong olgeta.
- Sapos yu luk wan naraman wea hemi makem rabis toktok akensen wan woman, talem long hem blong gat respect.
Wanem hemi Rape Culture:
Tok tok I go long ol woman mo gel
- Sefti blong yu hemi kam fes. Sapos yu feel sef, yu save toktok stret long harasser wetem wan klia vois mo wetem klia eye contact. Talem long hem, ‘Hemi no olraet blong toktok olsem ia long mi. Hemia disrespectful’ or ‘Taem yu makem fasin olsem ia, hemia harassment.’
- Fulap taem ol man hemi no save acceptem wanem wea yu talem. Hemi ting se hemi moa funny or hemi kross long yu. Taem yu talem tingting blong yu, keep walking. Yu gat raet blong tok tok bae yu gat raet blong freedom of expression tu – silence hemi wan powerful form of expression. Ol harrasser hemi no deservem attention blong yu.
- Sapos yu save wea olgeta hemi work, especially sapos olgeta hemi stap harrasem yu long work ples or work truck blong olgeta, reportem olgeta long boss blong hem.
This article was originally published in the Vanuatu Daily Post September edition of the Life and Style magazine.
