Of the strategies for interrupting street harassment I’ve been exposed to, especially as an ally, after heading home from a bar this past winter, I have a new preferred approach.

After a group of men started to cat-call my female friend, I noticed that she was feeling deeply uncomfortable. I asked her if I could do anything to help. She didn’t yet want to leave the bar and she personally didn’t want to intervene. I asked if she wanted me to.

She did.

All I did was ask the group of cat-callers, “Who here respects women?”

They looked around confused. It was quite a wonderful sight to see a group of harassers vexed about the answer to an easy question of respect. We learned that intervention can transform a dis-empowering situation into an opportunity for strength. And a laugh.

- Anonymous

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