Naming the Unspeakable Harm of Street Harassment: A Survey-Based Examination of Disclosure Practices

Abstract

Street harassment may be considered an "unspeakable" harm on account of the routine silencing and trivialization of victims' experiences. Disclosing street harassment is vital in making its harms visible and in working to transform social and cultural attitudes. Despite a recent resurgence of interest in street harassment via online activist groups, there is scant research on disclosure practices. Drawing on findings from an online, mixed-methods survey with 292 participants who have experienced street harassment, I examine disclosure practices using an intersectional lens. I argue that disclosure is an epistemological process, through which a limited and partial understanding of street harassment is produced.