New Video Shows The Danger Of Street Harassment

For most men, walking home alone after a night out is not a scary experience. But for women, its a dangerous proposition. In fact, a 2014 research study found that 65 percent of American women have experienced street harassment with 23 percent having been sexually touched, 20 percent followed, and nine percent forced into a sexual act. Although street harassment is an important issue for women’s safety, it’s rarely discussed, which is why a new video made by French filmmaker Maxime Gaudet is so necessary.

“Au bout de la rue (Court-métrage)” follows a young woman’s walk home after a night out with her friends in Paris. As she walks the seemingly-safe streets listening to music on her mobile phone, she is approached by a drunken man who tries to get her attention by screaming, “Stupid bitch!” At nighttime, even in the romantic streets of Paris, every corner is a potential hiding place for a predator and everyone that walks its streets is a threat. Finally, when the girl makes it home safely, she doesn’t even mention her experiences with her boyfriend, illustrating just how common this type of harassment is for most women.

Here’s more information on how you can fight back against street harassment.