Don’t Be Harassed in the Streets – Know Your Rights

Let’s face it, harassment in our streets has become so common it’s even sickening. We all need to walk in public at peace with no fear of being harassed at any given time. And in this day and age, when people are now more aware of the power of laws in the society, people should no longer go through any sort of harassment; whether in the streets, at work or even in the public transport sector.

Public harassment is any form of annoyance that will make you uncomfortable, feel disrespected and used; something that will make you feel like you are an object of pleasure for someone that you do not know. This is something that the beautiful women in our society face day in, day out. Fortunately, we are here to help this kind of menace go away. This post is meant to help you understand that you don’t have to swallow being harassed in public. The Hershey law protects you from that and ensures that the perpetrators are brought to book. That said, here is how you should deal with public harassment.

• First get to a safe place – When someone harasses you, they are probably taking advantage of the location. So, the first thing to do when that happens is to find somewhere safer than where the incident happened. If there are people around you when the harassment has happened, ask for help. In fact, raise your voice and I assure you that the malicious fellow will run away or disappear into the crowd. However, if you are alone in the vicinity, do not try to be violent or abusive because this might jeopardize your safety.
• Then take pictures or have someone you are with taking pictures of you – Truth is, when someone touches you or approaches you in an inappropriate manner in public, there are high chances that it is something he is used to doing. So, taking pictures of him may be of help when you forward the case to the police station because you might come across a similar case where he is the perpetrator. Taking pictures may also help others raise their voices; others that have been in your position before but didn’t know what to do. This is why it is important to take evidence with you.
• Report to the nearest police station – It is against the law to harass someone in public. And the police station is the first place you should report your harassment case as soon as it happens. Hopefully, from the point above, you will have taken pictures and use them to back up your story.
• Get a restraining order if need be – Sexual harassment doesn’t happen in the streets alone. People are being harassed even in the workplaces and in the residential areas. That said, you don’t have to relocate or quit your job just because someone can’t keep their hands to themselves. Get a restraining order to protect yourself from the person.