You've heard of random acts of kindness, but what about random acts of harassment? With 95% of women reporting that they experience some form of street harassment in their day-to-day lives, I'd bet that the latter is a little more common, and a lot more troubling.
In order to address the issue, 'Random of Acts of Harassment' is an online project that anonymously collects women's stories of harassment. The offending quotes are then recorded and displayed on the website, often accompanied by the situation in which it occurred. The statements range from graphic and disturbing ("Suck it baby!") to probing and threatening ("Where's your boyfriend?").
Browsing through the submissions -- and hearing them spoken out loud -- will hopefully serve as a wake-up call for offenders.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Public Shaming
- There is an opportunity for social media and tech companies to create tools that allow for public shaming of individuals who engage in harassment online.
- Anonymous Reporting
- Online platforms that allow for anonymous reporting of harassment incidents could be developed and really help curb harassment.
- Offender Database
- A centralized database that collects information on offenders who shame, harass or threaten others online would be beneficial in taking action against them.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Social Media
- Social media platforms could build in tools that allow for anonymous reporting of harassment incidents and publicly shame the offenders.
- Tech
- Tech companies can develop AI-enabled systems to monitor and report harassment on social media platforms.
- Activism
- Activism groups can use social media to raise awareness about harassment issues and create campaigns that encourage victims to speak up.
