ABOUT

Armed with social media and a stick of chalk, we (a group of young people between 17 and 37 from 76 German cities) are fighting to end sexual harassment on the streets.

We literally chalk catcalls (verbal sexual harassment) as well as physical sexual harassment in public spaces. Via Instagram, people who have been victims to sexual harrassment have to ability share their experiences with us. We then write these stories down in chalk, word for word in the exact place they were experienced. Using the Instagram hashtag #stopstreetharassment we have the ability to share our chalk art, together with the story behind it.

We feel that our street art activism is made visible in two extremely powerful ways. Our chalk drawings are made physical at the very scene where they were spoken, and will be washed away by the next downpouring of rain. Sharing these temporary drawings to the internet gives them the long term platform they deserve through the power of social media to make sure that they aren’t just swept under the rug.

GOALS

Our focus is naturally always on the victims of catcalling. However, our goal is to make people who haven’t had to experience catcalling be made aware of it - to sensitize them and to enable an exchange.

Research among our Instagram followers has shown that many of those affected experience their first catcalling at the age of 12 - in some cases even younger. We want to show these young people that they are not alone and that it is in no way their fault. We see our accounts as a community in which those affected can support each other. Together our aim is for respectful behavior and safety in public spaces.

In some cases, we need to explain and break down many "myths" about sexual harassment that we sometimes encounter in the comment section of our posts. There is still a lot of weight given to the context of a catcall: When and where were the victims traveling to? Were they alone? What were they wearing? The answers heavily influence whether the matter is taken seriously or whether those who have committed the harassment are even held responsible. We believe these questions are all irrelevant: We think everyone deserves the same respect and safety in public spaces, regardless of clothing, time of day, location, and many other factors.

And we are not alone in this: Chalk Back Germany is part of the international Chalk Back movement. Fed up with everyday catcalls, student Sophie Sandberg founded the Instagram account ‘Catcalls of NYC’. It quickly became obvious that catcalls are not only a problem in New York, but worldwide: on 6 continents, in 49 countries and in over 200 cities, young people are fighting for equal access to public space. Among them are: ‘Catcalls of London’, 'Catcalls of Cairo’ and 'Catcalls of Delhi’, but also university and school campuses including ‘Catcalls of Calabasas High School’ and 'Catcalls of University of the West Indies’. All accounts are in constant communication with each other through national and international WhatsApp groups. "Chalk Back" has also now been registered as a non-profit organization.

We believe that young people have the power to use hands-on activism to address issues they face in their everyday lives. In this way, we are collectively creating cultural change in our respective communities.

FUNDs

Our activists are very young all over the world: teenagers, students, young adults. And they all work for us on a voluntary basis and finance their chalk themselves. For the future we would like to relieve all of them by donations.

The money will go to the following funds and support the following activities:

Chalk Back-Leadership-Fund:

As we transform our grassroots movement into a sustainable organization, Chalk Back relies on a leadership team of young activists. This fund will provide stipends for members of the leadership team to advance Chalk Back's organizational structure.

 Chalk Fund:

The Chalk Fund is exactly what it sounds like! We are raising money to ensure that all Chalk Back activists can purchase enough chalk to continue chalking.

Fund for Inclusivity:

Chalk Back wants to make sure our content is accessible to all. Our Accessibility Fund will provide funding for translation work, social media content creation, and interpreters for our digital events.

Creative Fund:

The Creative Fund will go to activists and artists who work on our website and social media campaigns. We will pay artists and Chalk Back members to keep our website updated with our information and campaigns.

Digital Fund:

To ensure Chalk Back members from around the world can participate in video conferences, we are raising money for our members' internet access.

We will plan digital events for the activists in our network. The events will focus on self-care, leadership, and intersectionality.