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HollaBack lets women post photos of pervs, harassers
HollaBack started a year ago, when a woman posted a cell-phone picture of a raw-food restaurateur masturbating while he looked at her on the subway. (It was posted on Obscure Store at the time.) More than a dozen cities now have HollaBack sites. (San Francisco Chronicle)
February 12, 2007 | Permalink
Comments
There needs to be a website for men in which they can post the names or just simply describe the rudest rejections they've received from women.
In my years on the dating scene I've seen some women reject men in some incredibly harsh and rude ways. It'd be nice if there was a website for men to post rude rejection stories.
Posted by: vksjk | Feb 12, 2007 11:21:36 AM
In general I agree that it's offensive to get uninvited comments and especially physical contact, however, I also believe that if your thong underwear is visible in public, all bets are off.
Posted by: cib | Feb 12, 2007 11:45:56 AM
Juding by the "man-hands" seen in the picture, I doubt if any of those women have anything to worry about.
Especially the one with the thumb-ring. Becuase you know what they say about womyn with thumb-rings.
Posted by: Otis Chance | Feb 12, 2007 11:50:55 AM
eh? What do "they" say about women with thumb rings?
Posted by: joe | Feb 12, 2007 12:06:41 PM
wow, there's even one for appalachia, no stories there, mostly just the faq from the nyc version. I'd have added a few more FAQs, such as "who walks on the street out here?" and "why does appalachia need this?" but apparently someone saw the need.
http://hollabackapp.blogspot.com/index.html
Posted by: | Feb 12, 2007 12:20:04 PM
Hahaha...Appalachia.
"Hey yew I think yer tooth is real pretty."
Before the website the only way they could deal with the problem involved post-it notes in the family photo album.
Posted by: SwarthyTroll | Feb 12, 2007 12:29:17 PM
There's a world of difference between a guy saying someting about a woman being pretty and a guy jacking off in front of a woman on a public bus/train.
There was some perv on Dr. Phil (believe me, not a show I watch often) last week who had been arrested for being a Peeping Tom or exposing himself to women on buses dozens of times over the past 20 years. He claimed that a large percentage of the women he exposed himself to actually got off the bus WITH HIM to have sex or smiled when he did it in front of them. He was definitely delusional.
Posted by: Swangirl | Feb 12, 2007 12:31:44 PM
Awful name. Great idea, awful name.
Posted by: jdotglenn | Feb 12, 2007 12:35:09 PM
"Monica Cumming, 22, said her anger is subsiding now that she has a place to vent about the daily comments she gets on her way to work and school in Oakland."
I forsee a promising career in porn for Ms. Cumming.
"Yeah you like that baby?"
Posted by: Poncho | Feb 12, 2007 12:38:10 PM
I agree with them for the most part but the tag line at their website is wrong.
It states in pertinent portion "...you have the right to feel safe, confident, and sexy, without being the object of some turd's fantasy."
That's patently untrue. They may have the right to be free of unwanted verbal or physical contact but a fantasy is a thought and they certainly don't have the right not to be in somebody elses thoughts. Then they would be the thought police and while it's obvious that this is what they're trying to do, first it's impossible and second, it's not their right.
Posted by: Lou Sussler | Feb 12, 2007 1:09:19 PM
oakland is pretty bad for this kinda thing. my girlfriend gets shit all the time.
Posted by: boynamedsue | Feb 12, 2007 1:10:25 PM
Monica Cumming gets offensive comments daily? If one person calls you a duck, he's crazy. If 20 people call you a duck, start quacking.
Posted by: Jay | Feb 12, 2007 1:11:02 PM
As Dr. Evil would say to many of these women:
"You ain't all that and a bag of potato chips".
Posted by: Otis Chance | Feb 12, 2007 1:17:39 PM
I hate those damn websites. I've had to move twice because of those damn women and their little camera phones. You grab one ass and you're labeled for life!
Posted by: JDubs | Feb 12, 2007 1:31:52 PM
The problem is, some men don't find this kind of behavior all that threatening or scary (even husbands and boyfriends of women who experienced this). They see a guy jacking off in public as gross, pathetic, and maybe even funny. To a woman, it is creepy, disturbing, and should be considered sexual assault.
There is definitely a difference between a woman who may be in a bar or a place where sexual talk or sexual contact (in the form of polite touching, etc.) may be acceptable. Try your bad pick-up lines there, please. But to verbally or visually assault a woman who is sitting on a bus, walking down a street, or just going about her daily business is just plain wrong. Most women don't really feel like discussing their ass or other female body parts in broad daylight in public...just FYI.
I wish I could describe how scary and unsettling this type of behavior is to women. He may seem 'harmless' to you guys out there, but to us women, how do we know that his next move wouldn't be to grab, attack, rape, etc.? We *don't.*
I would ask that next time a man sees a woman being harrassed in this way, stand up for her. Put yourself between her and this creep and give him a piece of your mind. Don't laugh. Don't ignore it. Help her out and help her to feel safe.
Posted by: kgillenwater | Feb 12, 2007 1:50:17 PM
"Put yourself between her and this creep and give him a piece of your mind. Don't laugh. Don't ignore it. Help her out and help her to feel safe"
Then ask her out...
Posted by: | Feb 12, 2007 2:02:47 PM
ok it is wrong for a guy to whip it out in public seriously, thats what photographic memory is for LATER.
so i have to say this though that there are some girls out there that are practically asking for guys to drool all over them but then when they get attention from someone they dont like they act all offended like he's a perv.
Posted by: anonymous | Feb 12, 2007 2:06:24 PM
If a guy is truly being an ass then he deserves what it is coming to him but posting a picture or telling a story about him is not going to make him change his ways. Hell, if any of these guys found out they would just brag to their friends that they made the "asshole" list and nothing more.
Posted by: | Feb 12, 2007 2:07:38 PM
Best free publicity I ever had!!!!!
Posted by: Gene B | Feb 12, 2007 2:09:45 PM
Methinks the lady doth protest too much.
Posted by: ProfDon | Feb 12, 2007 3:21:49 PM
While I applaud the "fighting back" idea of sites like these, sooner or later someone is going to say "Wow, I know how I'll get him back for ______! I'll post his picture on pervert.com."
That or the obligatory badly thought out practical joke will end up with some poor guy who has never done anything like this posted on the web.
Posted by: David | Feb 12, 2007 9:04:14 PM
It's rare a guy says something really vile -- at least, in my experience, and I've lived in New York and Los Angeles, and visited plenty of other cities.
Now, I go to a good deal of trouble getting dressed in the morning. If some guy whistles or says something in the realm of complimentary, I simply smile and say thanks.
Hint to the ladies out there: it takes on a whole new tone if you don't think and act like a victim.
Moreover, I wrote a column last week which got into how to reject a man. Again, unless a man asks you out in a most rude and disrespectful way, I think you owe it to him to be kind in how you respond. Remember: He laid his ego on the line to ask you out. Does it really cost you to be gracious, to act grateful? Just have an excuse ready if he's not for you: You're married, a lesbian, you're 35 and still grounded, whatever. The important thing is that he understands your answer is no -- you don't have to squash him under your boot like a bug in the process.
Posted by: Amy Alkon | Feb 12, 2007 9:27:08 PM
Our society is fascinated with sex and our young men (and women) are being brought up with skewed ideas of what real love and sex are due to the explosion of porn and casual sex. The behavior of the male of our species between the ages of 14-30 (at least)has become more aggressive and more sexual and society and the media seem to embrace this. As a result, our young women are at risk from these idiots on a daily basis...from catcalling to rape.
While the website may not be perfect, at least it gives these women some of their power back by allowing them to 'out' the pervs and warn others.
Posted by: Even_steven | Feb 13, 2007 6:10:47 AM
"Moreover, I wrote a column last week which got into how to reject a man. Again, unless a man asks you out in a most rude and disrespectful way, I think you owe it to him to be kind in how you respond. Remember: He laid his ego on the line to ask you out. Does it really cost you to be gracious, to act grateful? Just have an excuse ready if he's not for you: You're married, a lesbian, you're 35 and still grounded, whatever. The important thing is that he understands your answer is no -- you don't have to squash him under your boot like a bug in the process."
hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
I started out being nice and polite, but many of the men hitting on me just thought that meant I was playing hard to get. I have found the easiest and most effective way to get my point across is to state it directly with no extra polite touch. No, you can not buy me a drink, sit near me, take me out or socialize with me. I am quite capable of letting someone know it's OK to approach but perhaps even better at letting them know it's NOT.
Posted by: Maria | Feb 13, 2007 6:15:27 AM
"Does it really cost you to be gracious, to act grateful?" I think there's a difference, even though I'm not single any longer.
To be gracious, no, it doesn't cost anything. I think that's definitely the right way to approach a turn down.
Grateful? I don't know if it has to go to that extreme. I think you can turn someone down kindly without making it seem like he was the only guy in months who has asked and probably will be the only one for a long time.
Posted by: Swangirl | Feb 13, 2007 7:38:23 AM
