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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline SEPTEMBER 29, 2023 | The Indian Eye 26

NY City’s Harassment Prevention Advisory Board

Launches Survey on Prevalence of Street Harassment

Free Resource Guide on How to Prevent and Respond to Street Harassment Available to NY

OUR BUREAU directly from New Yorkers about
their experiences and how we can
NEW YORK, NY
best stand with communities against
he Street Harassment Preven- street harassment.”
tion Advisory Board (SHPAB), “Everyone deserves to feel safe
Tlaunched a citywide outreach and respected in our city’s public
effort to conduct a survey on the spaces. The SHPAB survey and re-
nature, prevalence, and impact of sources are crucial tools in raising
street harassment on New Yorkers. awareness, supporting communities,
The SHPAB is co-chaired by the New and providing us with the insights we
York City Mayor’s Office to End need to take action,” said the New
Domestic and Gender-Based Vio- York City Mayor’s Office of Equity
lence (ENDGBV) and the New York Commissioner and SHPAB Co-Chair
City Commission on Gender Equity Sideya Sherman. “Learnings from
(CGE). CGE sits within the NYC the survey will help the city develop
Mayor’s Office of Equity (MOE). effective training, programs, policies,
The SHPAB was established by Lo- campaigns, and other measures that
cal Law 46 of 2022 to study and raise will foster welcoming public spaces
awareness of street harassment and for all.”
to develop resources for survivors “New York City has been on the
and bystanders. This survey will help street harassment, the city needs to source Guide,” an accessible, prac- cutting-edge of citywide solutions to
the advisory board better understand compassionately engage people who tical, comprehensive document that street harassment since their first city
how and where New Yorkers experi- cause street harassment to better contains important information for council hearing in 2010,” said May-
ence street harassment, identify peo- understand what motivates their ac- New Yorkers on how they can pre- oral Appointee and President and
ple and communities most at risk, and tions and what support and resources vent and respond to street harass- Co-Founder of Right to Be Emily
understand what kind of prevention, they need to change their behavior. ment both in the moment and follow- May. “The Mayor’s Street Harass-
education, and training resources city The next phase of this initiative will ing an incident of harassment either ment Prevention Advisory Board is
agencies, community members, and actively engage people who cause as a target or as a bystander. The the city’s latest step in that journey
individuals can utilize to address this street harassment. guide is available online and includes and is working hard to flood the city’s
form of violence. “Street harassment can have information on how people who have agencies and people with much-need-
Local Law 46 defines street ha- significant short- and long-term con- been harassed by someone can file ed resources to meaningfully combat
rassment as unwelcome, offensive or sequences for people who are vic- discrimination and harassment com- street harassment without increasing
threatening statements, gestures or timized. Fear, anxiety, and distrust plaints, and find supportive resourc- criminalization. I’m honored to serve
other conduct directed at individuals prevent people from engaging in es including trainings, educational as an advisory board member.”
in public places such as streets, side- community activities and enjoying resources, community engagement The Street Harassment Preven-
walks, parks and public transporta- safe, public spaces,” said New York opportunities, and tips for having tion Advisory Board (SHPAB), co-
tion. Street harassment can be based City Mayor Eric Adams. “The sur- conversations about the issue with chaired by the NYC Mayor’s Office
on the person’s actual or perceived vey is a major tool that will give us friends and family. The survey will be to End Domestic and Gender-Based
age, race, creed, color, national ori- insights on how to develop stronger, promoted widely through city agen- Violence (ENDGBV) and the NYC
gin, gender, disability, sexual orienta- protective measures through com- cies and community-based networks. Commission on Gender Equity
tion or any other trait, status or con- munity engagement, policies, legis- In partnership with communi- (CGE), was instituted by Local Law
dition. Street harassment can have a lation, training, or other supports to ty-based organizations, ENDGBV 46 of 2022 and is made up of mem-
pronounced effect on the well-being, stop street harassment across New and CGE will host a citywide “Day of bers from the City Commission on
safety and mental health of individu- York City. People deserve to be safe Action” on September27, 2023 to en- Human Rights, Office of Nightlife,
als who experience it and can create in their surroundings and commu- gage community, distribute resource the Department of Transportation,
environments that limit people’s abil- nities, and the SHPAB survey and guides, and ask New Yorkers to take and mayoral, public advocate, and
ity to move freely in public spaces. resource guide are another step to the public survey. city council speaker appointees.
This survey marks just the be- make our city safer.” “The Street Harassment Pre- Organizations that played a large
ginning of the city’s work to better New Yorkers are encouraged to vention Advisory Board is providing role in the creation of the Board, in-
understand and respond to street take the confidential survey, whether New Yorkers with critical resourc- clude: Asian American Federation,
harassment. This version of the sur- they have experienced or witnessed es to prevent and respond to street Bowen Public Affairs Consulting,
vey is designed to gather information harassment, or have themselves ha- harassment,” said New York City Center for Anti Violence Educa-
from people who have experienced rassed others. The survey consists Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and tion, Girls for Gender Equity, Make
street harassment – not people who of multiple-choice questions about Gender-Based Violence Commis- the Road - TGNCIQ Justice Proj-
have caused street harassment or peoples’ experiences of street ha- sioner and SHPAB Co-Chair Cecile ect, MinKwon Center, Right to Be,
those who have both experienced rassment. The SHPAB also invites Noel. “With the launch of the city’s Translatinx Network, Transgender
and caused street harassment. For New Yorkers to read and share “End first-of-its-kind Street Harassment Equity Consulting, VIP Mujeres, and
New York City to adequately address Street Harassment: A NYC Re- Prevention Survey, we will hear Voces Latinas.

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