Why is this important?

It’s finally summertime, and for a lot of folks, that means enjoying longer walks down the street, with more sun, but also with more people out in the streets. Many of us know all too well the heightened fear and hypervigilance we feel in preparation for ‘summertime harassment’.

Whether you identify with groups who experience disproportionate cases of harassment, or are an ally to those who do, let’s take action together!

Harassment is never your fault. Regardless of the season, you should be able to be who you are and dress however you want when navigating parking lots, city streets, and all public spaces WITHOUT being harassed.

Let's all step up and make sure harassment does not go unaddressed in each of our communities this summer, pledging to safely intervene the next time we see harassment.

Not sure about the best way to intervene? We've got resources for you, including useful tips and strategies!

Why now?

Ask anyone who has experienced harassment, and they might tell you that it is especially common during the summer. Don’t take our word for it, check out these accounts about summer harassment:

Bim Adewunmo in her oped for The Guardian: "Welcome to summer, when the conditions are even more [favorable] for men who like to be nuisances."

Moya Lothian-McLean in her piece for Stylist ponders, "Why does shedding one item of clothing make me fair game to be objectified?"

And Hannah Giorgis for Buzzfeed News describes the calculations many of us make to avoid harassment during the summer,

"I exhaust myself with shaky equations that might render me invisible and thereby minimize the danger of simply existing in public."

"Every outing involves dozens of split-second decisions. The short, loose dress or the long, form-fitting one? The almost-empty subway car or the crowded one? The shorter route or the more well-lit one?"

Summer should not be associated with fear, objectification, or harassment, and through our collective efforts, we can commit to making a change together!

When you step up and intervene, share your story with us and let us know how it went down! When we hear from each other, we learn from each other!

Ready to learn how to intervene?

Sign up to receive our free guide to Bystander Intervention! Whether you have a direct personality or a subtle one, our guide can help you decide the best choice for each scenario this summer.

You can make a choice to actively and visibly take a stand against harassment. We can’t do this alone, send this to your friends, family, and co-workers! In order to end harassment together, we need to take action together!