National day of action against catcalling - chalking action at the railway station in Korbach
Today marks the fourth national day of action against catcalling, which was brought to the centre of attention in particular by a chalking campaign by the specialist service for women and equal opportunities from the district of Waldeck-Frankenberg at the train station in Korbach. In April, the specialist service, together with StadtBus GmbH Bad Wildungen and Kurhessenbahn, launched an awareness-raising campaign on buses and trains. The catcalls collected so far - i.e. the harassment and insults experienced - can be read at Korbach railway station from today.
Sexual harassment mainly takes place in public spaces. Posters on buses and trains were not only intended to remind people that sayings such as "Hey, sweetie, travelling alone?" or "Nice legs - where are they going?" are not compliments, but also to offer help to those affected. The catcalls experienced could be reported anonymously to the Specialist Service for Opportunities and Equal Opportunities using the link on the posters. The people affected were then provided with information on offers of help. All of the catcalls collected so far and through the campaign were written down in chalk by the specialised service at Korbach train station today. The campaign raises awareness that sexual harassment does not begin with physical assault.
"By chalking it up, we want to draw attention to the reality of the lives of those affected. What we are writing down here clearly shows that it's not a matter of unfortunate compliments, but of harassment, insults and attempts at intimidation," explained Miriam Drüppel from the Women and Equal Opportunities Service. Another aim of the campaign is to draw attention to the lack of civil courage. Far too often, bystanders do not intervene, although even small gestures can be helpful. By asking the harasser specific questions such as "What's the next stop again?" or "Can you tell me what time it is?", people can be helped to get out of the situation without putting themselves in danger. Affected persons can continue to report catcalls to the district anonymously.