Street harassment a major problem in Iowa City, advocates say

IOWA CITY - Several groups are coming together to try and slow, or even stop, street harassment in Iowa City.

'I would say almost everyone has a story of being harassed,” said Stella Hart, who organized a meeting to combat street harassment Thursday night at the First Baptist Church in Iowa City.

Hart said the goal of the event is to empower people when they observe street harassment and to increase bystander awareness.

'There are lots of ways to intervene that aren't aggressive,” said Susan Junis of the Rape Victims Advocacy Program, or RVAP, in Iowa City. 'Things like checking in with the target [of the harassment].”

Street harassment can range from cat calling all the way to physical or sexual harassment in a public place. The issue recently gained international exposure after a New York woman made a video in which she recorded receiving unwanted attention while walking around downtown New York City.

'Certainly that has put a spotlight on the issue,” said Junis. 'But it's something we've been concerned about for a long time.”

Hart, who works with the Domestic Violence Intervention Program, said getting bystanders involved is an extremely important part of stopping street harassment.