It’s Not A Compliment Launches State-Wide Research Survey On Street Harassment
It’s Not A Compliment is excited to launch our first research survey on the prevalence, nature and impact of street harassment in Victoria.
The survey aims to analyse the incidence and consequences of street harassment amongst different Victorian communities, as well as the ramifications of COVID-19 in this space. It also seeks to capture the unmet needs of victims when attempting to report or recover from experiences of street harassment.
Developed in collaboration with Dr. Bianca Fileborn, Lecturer in Criminology at The University of Melbourne, the survey focuses on street harassment as an intersectional issue. People experiencing many forms of marginalisation—not only through gender but also race, sexuality, disability and housing status—are vulnerable to street harassment. In particular, ongoing racialised harassment throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has supported this case.
Existing research may not be fully representative or up to date in reflecting who is most affected by street harassment across the state. The intersectional focus of our research makes it both current, and vitally important in developing community-centred responses to address harassment where its impact is greatest.
“Our work seeks to develop a deeper understanding of the nature of street harassment in Victoria, its effects, and what people need to resolve it”, said It’s Not A Compliment’s research and policy officer Natasha Sharma. “We intend to use this data to advocate for evidence-based policy reform and create clear and actionable solutions to the issue of street harassment.”
Our research is inspired by a city-wide survey conducted in Washington DC by Collective Action for Safe Spaces in 2016. It will remain open for three months and is open to all Victorians who have experienced street harassment.
About It’s Not A Compliment:
It’s Not A Compliment is a Melbourne-based grassroots organisation fighting for the rights of all individuals to enjoy public spaces free of the fear of harassment. Our work involves sharing stories on the harms of street harassment, developing educational resources and advocating for more policy action from our government.
Available for interview:
Aakanksha Manjunath, co-founder
Annelise Lecordier, co-founder
Natasha Sharma, research and policy officer
Media contact:
Mark Yin
0430277180