All stories - Fairspace

Indecent exposure in “the calm” Eindhoven

After living some years in the calm Eindhoven and learning about the super security systems in Stratumsedijk, I was never worried about walking alone in the night. One day, I was walking back home around 10 pm after meeting some friends. Hidden behind some parked bikes, in the city centre,

Catcalling while shopping

I was walking to the grocery store and two men yelled sexual comments at me. It happened in the Harriet Freezerstraat (Amsterdam Zuid-Oost).

‘Je bent niet schuldig hoor, maar je had daar nooit moeten fietsen’

‘Je bent niet schuldig hoor, maar je had daar nooit moeten fietsen’ dat was de reactie van de zedenpolitie toen ik aangifte deed van een gewelddadige aanranding. Victimblaming weet ik nu.. hoe vaak en hoe pijnlijk dat soort opmerkingen zijn begrijpen veel mensen niet. Sterker de meeste mensen kennen het

He licked his lips

A while back, I was biking in the afternoon and made eye contact with a man that was walking nearby. He licked his lips suggestively and kept eye contact. I kept biking to quickly pass him and felt so uncomfortable, I was really thrown off and felt so weird.

Touching my ass while passing by

I early twenty, and was looking at the timetable at platform 2. Platform 2 is a very wide platform and it wasn’t crowded at all when it happened. While I was looking, I felt something like a finger or part of a hand gliding across my butt. I was surprised

Anonymous’ story: sexual harassment while on a jog

I was running through Leiderdorp in the evening. I used to take this route and I never expected harassment here. However, I was waiting for the traffic lights and a boy was waiting with his bicycle. When I walked further slowly, he did not pass me. After a few meters

“Hey, Honey!!”

I had parked my car on the parking lot next to the station to get a sandwich in the afternoon. I got out of my car and walked to the station (which I had to cross in order to get to the city centre). A man was standing in front

Just wanted to rent a bike

At the bike rental place, the guy who rents out the bikes catcalls me every time I come to get a bike. Today he ran after me while I was biking away and grabbed the bike to halt it. He proceeded to talk to me about what I was wearing.

Without me wanting to

Got approached from behind by a strange guy that touched me inappropriately without me wanting to, or me even seeing that he came up to me.

Bystander intervention: told him to let go

Guy came up and grabbed me and wouldn’t stop when I said I didn’t want him to until another man came up and told him to let go.

Alex’s story: breaking away from carnival harasser

In southern Holland, Carnaval is a big event sort of like Halloween minus the trick or treating. It’s basically a big party where everyone wears costumes, but it takes place throughout a large section of the city. I’m studying here and decided I wanted to go, since it was one

Laat me met rust!

At a Friday night I was cycling home. Not far from my house I noticed a group of about ten male students loudly approaching. I sped up and tried to leave as much space between me and them as possible while I passed them, but as soon as they saw

Brushed off verbal abuse

On international coming out day 2017 my then partner and I were cycling through Groningen after an event with the feminist network and close to our house there is a bus stop and a group of teenage guys was standing there. They noticed us holding hands and started pointing at

“Ik vond er geen zak aan”

Man, circa 50, gezet type, circa 1 meter 75, groen shirt, rijdend in een witte car. Toeterde naar me terwijl ik met een zware doos oud papier naar het recycle station op de Muiderschans liep. Toen hij uitstapte vroeg ik waarom. Hij zei “omdat ik dat leuk vindt”. Ik zei

Homophobic slurs without repercussion

I was sitting in a study room of a university and after a friend of mine left, three guys started talking about me in German, perhaps not realizing that I could understand them. They repeatedly used “Schwul”(Gay) as an insult, and said stuff like ‘thats so gay – and we

Someren: I told him to back off

I was at the Saint Patricks event in Someren, which was in itself wonderful and we had a lot of fun. In the tent there was the first older man flirting with me and staring even after I sent him an angry look. Later in the pub was a different

Where is the respect?

Just walked in my street to enjoy the evening sun. It’s the first warm evening. Brought a visit to a friend and was still thinking about what we spoke of. I’m fully dressed, appropriate I think. There’s no bare skin to see on me. A man in the age of

Don’t tell me to smile

I was already trying to ignore this guy. But he kept catcalling me while I was waiting at the traffic light. Telling me to smile and that I look great and whatever. Don’t tell me to smile.

“Harassed because of weelchair”

I use a wheelchair and went out one night, got initially declined at the door but eventually got in. I left my wheelchair in a corner to dance and a random guy went to sit in it. When I corrected him, he said he didn’t know it was my wheelchair

“Mijn kledingkeuze”

Seksueel getinte opmerkingen over mijn kledingkeuze.

“Korte broek”

Seksueel getinte opmerkingen over mijn korte broek.

“Terwijl ik danste”

Greep mijn kont terwijl ik danste.

“Slap on the butt”

I was walking with my friend and a young man slapped my butt hard.

“Walking home alone”

A car was following me, then a guy inside screamed at me to get in… First I ignored him, then I told him to f* off. Walking home alone changed after that.

Cornered at the traffic light and tram stop

I was waiting at the pedestrian crossing for the light to turn green, when at the other side of the crossing a young man turned around to stare at me. I started to feel uncomfortable and tried to hide myself behind the pole of the traffic light. He gestured for

Hotel guest racial slur

After a visit at the cocktail bar, I was standing in front of a hotel waiting for my ride to arrive and looking on my mobile, when a hotel guest walks up the stairs and out of nowhere says “Ni Hao” to me based on my appearance. I call him

Hey Tjap Tjoy!

I was walking down the Haarlemmerweg with my sister and husband, when a guy bikes away from his group of Indian friends and yells “Hey Tjap Tjoy!” (Chop Suey) to me. The guy doesn’t even notice when I yell things back at him and continues biking.

Ni hao!

I was walking towards the bus stop minding my own business when out of nowhere a guy yells “Ni Hao!” to me.

Racial slur from bus driver

I always greet bus drivers when I enter the bus. However with this particular driver, my greeting in Dutch is responded with a high pitched shrieking of “NI HAOO!!”. This happened to me twice on one day with the same driver. I filed a complaint about it and only get

Drive by racism

I was walking from the parking garage with my husband when someone who drove by yelled “NI HAOO!!!” to me out of his window. We couldn’t identity the person who yelled this racial slur because he was already out of sight.

Racial slurs and sexism

I was walking in the Westerstraat on my way to the post office to pick up a package, when I walked past a group of older, disheveled (alcoholic) looking men. A man looked at me and said “Arigato” when I walked by. Even with my sunglasses on, he still took

Sexually harassed by gay men and it’s still not OK

Photo credit: lindanieuws.nl Submitted by Ghanwa, 3 July 2017 June is celebrated as Pride Month, a celebration of sexuality, sexual orientations and gender identities. I, a bisexual cis woman, too joined the Utrecht Pride to partake in the celebration and the festivities. However, I soon realized that my idea of sexual

Not safe after dark

On several occasions (always after 10pm in the dark) someone followed me home on a bicycle from this area and stalked around my flat for a while. Female friends in the neighborhood have had the same experiences. During the day everything feels save and good, but I don’t like going

“Out of nothing…”

A man used abusive names. I experienced this several times from men. Out of nothing, normal dressed (no skin shown accept face and hands), normal behavior.

“It’s so sad that this is not being dealt with”

Many, many times in Groningen (city center).. Not only street intimidation is a weekly thing there (calling you names, following you, shouting ‘kankerhoer’ in your face, while I am just walking home with my groceries), but also physically harassing happened to me frequently. Guys harassing you, and when you kindly

“I’ve had it”

I was walking down with a friend on Oudegracht, a main street with lots of people, during mid day. Three boys, couldn’t have been older than fifteen, started following us mimicking everything I said in what ‘my accent.’ I have always been a strong advocate of speaking out so I

“Ik hoef voor hem niet altijd blij te zijn”

Ik liep van de trein station naar mijn fiets, had een beetje haast, en geen zin om met onbekenden mensen te praten. En man liep langs en zei best hard, maar gericht op mij, “Wauw, sommige mensen lopen gewoon rond met mooie glimlachen altijd, nou zeg!” Ik loop niet rond

“Hallo, lekker ding”

Ik kwam uit de supermarkt en stapte met mijn boodschappen op de fiets. Een man liep langs me, stopte en zei “hallo, lekker ding”. Zat ik echt op te wachten!

“Hij bleef staren”

Ik was op weg naar mijn werk vroeg in de ochtend, het was nog donker. In tegengestelde richting kwam een man aanfietsen, op hetzelfde fietspad. Terwijl hij langs fietste keek hij mij verlekkerd aan en bleef staren.

Violated in the woods

I was hitchhiking, a man stopped and told me he first had to go to a camping in the nearby wood and then he would continue his journey. In the wood he violated me, I fought and screamed but he was too strong. I escaped and hid myself in the

He tried to rape me

I was harassed here a couple of years ago around this time of year, at 7 in the morning. A guy grabbed me at all the wrong places a tried to rape me, failed because I could run away. He was caught by the police. He was a crazy drug

Vrouwelijke politieagent met “goede raad”

Gisteren rond middernacht liep ik in het centrum. Ik was alleen en wou zo snel mogelijk bij mijn auto geraken, dus toen ik bij een oversteekplaats voor voetgangers aankwam waar het licht nét op rood sprong, besloot ik om toch nog snel over te steken. Ik voelde er namelijk weinig

“Shocked they were kids”

Walking home from tram halte pompenburg rotterdam I was grabbed by my ass by two boys of the age of between 13 or 15. It very sad to see that kids don’t have the common respect for an other human being. I was more than shocked since it had happen

“Niet in alle rust hardlopen”

Ik was op een zondagochtend rustig aan het hardlopen. Toen ik een geparkeerde auto passeerde schreeuwden twee jonge mannen uit het raam dingen naar me. Ik schrok me dood want ik had niet door dat er mensen in de auto zaten. Daarnaast voelde ik me bekeken en uitgelachen. [got_back]

Harassed trying to help

I was cycling down a street with a weak bike light. I saw two people standing by the side of the road, with a bright light. I cycled away as fast as I could but they shouted after me so I went back because I assumed maybe they had a

Calling me names

I was biking home and while I was on the Noordzeeweg, which is a bike path next to a highway, with high walls, I was surprised by a loud shouting man who was calling me names. I was the only other person on that road and it was getting darker,

A poor excuse for an apology

A vehicle was parked along Holterbergweg. As I passed by, an employee shouted ‘Sayonara!’ at me. I took a picture of the vehicle and made a complaint to the company. They replied: “On account of your e-mail of June the first, we spoke with our employe in question. He was

From whistle to glare without regard

The male occupant of a car whistled at me, pulled up next to me, and stared at me. [got_back]

“Stupid Bitch”

Riding by bike back home in the evening and heard calling ‘nice body’. When I didn’t respond I was called a ‘stupid bitch’. Went to bed with a bad feeling. [got_back]

“I just want to get to know you”

In front of the grocery store a man smiled at me and said hello. I said hello back. He got of his bike and asked me if I wanted to get to know him. I told him I wasn’t interested. He started parking his bike and I told him good

It’s normal to enter women’s space on the street, kids

Terwijl ik met een vriendin het zebrapad overstak, liepen drie jongens ons tegemoet. Twee van de drie waren niet ouder dan 12. De oudste van de drie riep ons hard in het gezicht: “hallo dames”. Hoewel dit geen fysiek bedreigende situatie was, geeft deze jongen aan de twee kleine jongens

harassers who honk

Terwijl ik met een vriendin over straat fietste, reed een auto ons al toeterend voorbij. [got_back]

Are bicycles harassers’ new getaway vehicle?

Ik liep met een vriendin over straat. Vanuit de tegengestelde richting kwam een meneer aangefietst. Terwijl hij langs ons fietste verminderde hij vaart en fluisterde ons allerlei seksueel getinte opmerkingen toe. Toen ik terugriep of hij kon herhalen wat hij zei en of hij gek geworden was, fietste hij snel

from ‘nice jugs’ to ‘hairy legs’, harassers don’t let up

It’s been nice weather in Holland two days in a row now, which means it’s time for summer clothes. Which also means; let the catcalling begin (or intensify). On day one a boy felt it to be necessary to tell me I had “Great Juggs” (literal words). After a few

Summer is here, so is more harassment

Ik liep op straat en zag een meisje voorbij lopen, op weg naar haar voordeur. Op het fietspad parallel aan de stoep waarop het meisje liep zag ik man heel langzaam (tegen de richting in) fietsen, haar volgend en nastarend. Hij bleef haar net zolang volgen tot ze binnen was.

Harassment doesn’t just happen on foot

Being followed by a man on a bike, while parking my bike, he passed, looked at me, continued cycling, braked, returned towards me, came up to me, looked at me (was on the verge of saying something) then decided to cycle away. Second time, same man followed me on the

Sexual harassment while on a jog

Verbally Abused While Biking

I was riding my bike over to this mall where cars have to be aware of bikes. Anyway I was about to leave and saw this car waiting to cross, so I didn’t time it too well and this guy almost hits me when I bike in front of him

Just trying to look normal

I was walking in the late afternoon down my street and noticed a man walking towards me. There was nothing strange about it– he was just walking in my direction, probably to the store nearby. But something made my body tense up as he got closer. I made a point

Staring like I’m a tennis match

Broad daylight, parking lot next to a supermarket. Man, at least ten years older than me, alone, with a shopping bag, stops and stares at me. Like I’m a tennis match, just walking by. I have to walk past him to enter the supermarket and he doesn’t move, just staring.

Playing Ingress and Called a Whore

I was playing Ingress (an awesome GPS game). At some point I was busy upgrading a portal when a ball rolls to me. But I didn’t feel to kick it back because I was on my bike. I heard someone saying “Yo girl, pass the ball”. (note; I am 35

No ‘right’ to jog through the park

I was jogging through Flevopark as it started getting dark. I tried to go a bit faster as there are no lights in the park (what’s up with that anyways??), when almost reaching the exit I saw two guys hanging out a bit ahead of me. I thought of turning

“Where are you going, baby?”

I was walking through Museumplein to the train station and a group of guys was walking in the opposite direction, towards me. I tried not to make eye contact but sometimes it seems as if they can tell I am forcing myself to look away. As they past, one guy

Glaring and grabbing his crotch from the urinal

I was walking to work as I normally do with my headphones in so that my day doesn’t get ruined at such an early hour. I passed one of the public male urinals on my way. There is usually no one using it but there was this time. A man

Drunk and uninvited

While sitting on a bench with my girlfriend two guys, early twenties, loudly talking and obviously drunk came to sit on each side of us uninvited. After telling them we were in the middle of a conversation and would like them to leave they started to call us names and