‘He tapped me on the leg. I took my headphones out and he said quietly to me, “I have never had sex with anyone with that hair colour before.” I was so shocked and sickened, I felt disgusted and dirty. I never told anyone.’
The first time I was every sexually harassed by a stranger in the street (aged about 9) was directly outside the church I used to go to as a child
‘I was walking down a busy high street with my headphones in when this guy started walking really close beside me telling me I was sexy and had a great arse.’
‘I pretended not to hear and kept walking. It quickly turned aggressive and he started calling me a b***h and c**t. No one did anything.’
‘The guy passed me and said out loud, “If your friend weren't here, I would have f***ed you.” I was frozen and couldn't move.’
On several occasions men have tried flirting with me and called me exotic as though it’s a compliment. I get “I’ve never been with a brown/mixed girl”
‘I was walking home from school in my full uniform when a car started driving alongside me, shouting, “Get in, stop ignoring us, come on sexy baby.” One of them started getting out the car and I ran. I was 13.’
Men harass me more aggressively than my thin friends. When we are out in a group I am constantly being singled out and told sexual things about me and my body.
I was 16 when I was walking back home from school and two guys in a car honked their horn at me and shouted “how much for a blow job?!”
‘It's only ever been when I'm with my girlfriend in public, like hugging, kissing or literally just holding hands. The amount of looks, comments, shouts, wolf whistles we've gotten is so tiring and makes us feel so degraded.’
Women with tattoos are really seen as sexual objects unfortunately. I end up sweating and uncomfortable where I feel like I can’t take my jumper off. It sucks.
When I was 12 I was catcalled for the first time by some men probably mid 30s yelled out to me ‘Damn that’s a fat ass’ . When I continued to walk away they then went to say ‘fine be a bitch then’