What can you do?

Picture by Nadine Shaabana on Unsplash

Steps victims could take against harassment: 

• talk to other people about your experiences (maybe give some advice what other people could have done to help in your situation or similar ones) 

• try to ignore it – maybe they will lose interest in you (especially concerning catcalling) 

• try to be confident and step up – sometimes a simple NO can help 

• try saying out loud what is happening to you, e.g., "This man is touching me!" or "Stop touching me!" so that the people around you notice what's happening

• ask others for help (strangers on the street or people in your peer group, staff at a bar …) 

• report it to staff at a bar, teachers, parents, the bus driver, the police ...

• text friends/family to call you or pick you up (if you don't want to walk home alone) 

• text services like Rat auf Draht 

• If you are in immediate danger or feel severely threatened call the police!

Steps bystanders could take against harassment: 

• talk to girls how to help/step in/be interested in this topic and learn strategies how you could help in those situations 

• Don’t look away or try to ignore it,  step in! Even if you can't see what's happening, but just hear it.

• sometimes a single glance/focused stare can help scaring a potential offender off

• get closer and ask if there is a problem and if everything is alright 

• step in or find help also when you don't know if it's harassment (you don't have to talk to the offender sometimes it's enough to get a few steps closer) 

• If the girl asks you to help her/pretend to be someone, do it!
  
  

General steps against harassment:  

• Seriousness (harassment is not a joke, take it seriously and be respectful)

• Education (talk to others, share your experiences and concerns, ask girls/women how they feel about it - listen to them!)

• Confront friends with this topic (for example when they are joking about this or talk about it) 

• Talk openly about this topic – talk to friends and ask them if something like this has ever happened to them 

• raise awareness 

• avoid certain situations/locations 

• walk in groups (home, to clubs, parties …)