Every day, women and girls in our region endure sexual harassment and are forced to modify their behaviour to prevent it from happening. Caitlyn, Jude, Maryam, and Ella’s stories reflect the reality that so many women and girls experience daily.
Our new campaign, in partnership with Kim McGuinness, the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, serves to shed light on the impact of sexual harassment on women and girls. To develop this campaign, Dr Helen Williams conducted desktop research to help us gather further information about the prevalence of public sexual harassment in the Northeast. Alongside this, we conducted interviews with women and girls from the Northumbria region over several weeks, discussing their experiences of sexual harassment, how it has affected them, and what changes they hope to see in the future.
Through this effort, we hope to raise awareness and drive meaningful change. It’s important to recognise that sexual harassment is a widespread problem that can happen to anyone, no matter how they look or where they are. This campaign aims to shed a light on this harsh truth that women face every day by increasing awareness. We can make a significant difference and establish a safer and more respectful atmosphere for women and girls in our area.
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “By turning a blind eye to everyday harassment, it gives some men and boys the OK to go further and can lead to horrific consequences for the victim. So, with this powerful campaign we are doing the very opposite of turning a blind eye; we’re shining the spotlight on it. A simple remark can be intimidating, annoying, frustrating and even at times, triggering. It all adds up, and so we want men and boys to be asking themselves if they are part of the problem. If they are, they need to change.
“So often women change who they are to try and stop sexual harassment from occurring. For example, changing their clothing, where they go, and when they go out. Women are blaming themselves. ‘I shouldn’t have been out so late’ and ‘well I was wearing a low-cut top’. No. This is all victim blaming and it is wrong. This isn’t a problem with women. The problem sits with men. People are often too scared to talk about it. Well, I am talking about it and I really hope people will join me and do the same so we can spark conversation and drive lasting change.
“My thanks go to all the women who shared their experiences. Without them we wouldn’t have been able to create such an authentic, genuine campaign.”
Deputy Chief Executive Samantha Jones, from Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland, said: “The everyday nature of gendered sexual harassment makes women feel they have to simply accept it as’ part and parcel’ of being a woman. Some men don’t realise that women are impacted way more than they think. If we want to start tackling public sexual harassment, the first step is to understand what behaviours, actions and comments constitute harassment; then we can start preventing it. It is about respecting women and their right to feel safe and free from the threat of sexual harassment.”
Chief Superintendent Lyn Peart, head of Northumbria Police’s Safeguarding department, said: “Sexual harassment in any form is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We all have a responsibility to tackle harassment such as that shown in the videos, and I urge anyone out there who thinks behaviour like this is remotely acceptable to think again. We want everyone to feel safe in our communities and we always encourage anyone who has experienced sexual harassment to please report it to police.”
