Now I get that in my line of work, which is massage therapy in an expensive hotel spa, I am bound to receive random rude comments and have some creepy clients. Especially that I am a decent looking woman in her early 20's. But wow, I've had a couple doozies recently here in Victoria, BC. I'll share my favorites with you! I work mainly evenings in the spa and often get either couples looking for a romantic evening together, or travelling business people. This guy happened to be a travelling business person from Ottawa who spoke French as his first language. I go to introduce myself to him in the lounge and he turns, looks me up and down and says some typical greeting in french that sounded like 'oh chante'. I don't speak French and so if it were something else I wouldn't have known any better. I lead him to to treatment room, at this time he is wearing a robe and boxerbriefs. How do I know? Well! This gentleman decides to whip open his robe to show me a scar on his upper thigh that I really didn't need to know about as it had nothing to do this the treatment. I instructed him as to how the treatment would go and leave the room for him to get on the table. When I come back he's butt-naked and barely covered by the sheets or blanket. To keep it short and simple, throughout the treatment I was repeatedly asked about myself and what massage I liked best. I probably should have stopped the treatment and left and told him to get out. But I had only been at that location a little over a month and put up with it barely acknowleging his questions. Once he had left, I went to clean up the room, and what did he leave behind but a large tip and his room number with a request to join him later that night. What the hell guys?!?! Honestly, if you want a whore for hire go cruise the roads. A spa is a spa and we're not here for your sexual needs. The other guy just over a week later was a rather large guy, who during his treatment when I had him turn over halfway had a rather obvious erection. This happens sometimes and normally doesn't bother me as some men really have no control over their members during a treatment. At the end of the treatment however, he requested I get him a small amount of oil for him to take with him for personal uses. I nearly vomited.

Submitted by Christina in B.C.

Well, this afternoon was about the 3rd time I've been to Hanlans Point beach, and Im sorry to say that every outing has been tainted with some harrassing idiot, (including a run-in with the dick parading his floppy penis that someone else wrote about!) but today was just the worst. Even though I wholeheartedly support the idea of a clothing optional beach for all, the sad reality is that Hanlans Point it is just NOT a safe place for women to go without harrassment. Today I discovered I was being videotaped by some creep as I sunbathed topless.

As my girlfriend had to cancel at the last minute and I wound up going alone, I set up RIGHT beside the lifeguard tower, the ONE place where I thought I might enjoy the lake and sun be safe from all that.... well I guess not.

Apparently the lifeguards looking on was no deterrant ... while I was deeply engrossed in my book, some creep set out his towel not 10 metres away, lay on his stomach and got busy videotaping me while I read. I SHUDDER to think about what kind of closeups he took and where the images will wind up...

I only learned that this was happening because I overheard some guy walking by the creep make a comment about the camera hidden under his shirt. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of getting angry and confronting him before I reported him - he managed to sprint off into the bushes before anything could be done. The lifeguards couldnt really do much anyways, just suggest that I call the Marine Police who already had there hands totally full with the Carbana and long weekend crowds .

While I was talking to the guards, another guy came forward and said that he had seen this creep with his camera a few time before, apparently he is a regular at that beach. ( although why he did nothing about it is a mystery!)

So women, if you decide to go to Hanlans Point,, be on the alert for any guy lying on his stomach facing you, especially with a shirt or towel bunched in front of him. If you see him DONT APPROACH, just DISCREETLY report him to the lifeguards and insist that they call the Police! Eventually, he will get himself caught.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

-man in his early 30's, around 5'7 and a somewhat flabby nondescript body

-has sparse black balding hair, very short, like a buzzcut growing out . he shaves his chest.

-has a soft slightly flabby face and a small mouth

-he wears roundish glasses, and carries a faded green knapsack

-he goes shirtless, but keeps his shorts on.

-he likes to lie on his stomach to operate his video camera, which is hidden under a tshirt or towel..

The next time I go ( if I ever go back!) I will keep my camera handy and return the favour.

Submitted by Lisa

I would like to relate what happened to me years ago when I was about 16 years old (I'm 35 now so it's been a while).

I was waiting inside a bus shelter for the regional bus in Pickering on Kingston and Fairport rd to be exact, which by the way was a horrible bus stop as it was very isolated & inconveniently also a traffic stop, so of course many lecherous men would stare, cat-call and the like.

On this particular occasion a blue van was stopped beside the shelter as the lights were red. And for what seemed like an eternity the light STAYED red and what happens next! the back door flings open and a SHORT, FILTHY, HAIRY ASSHOLE with a ski mask on and his pants around his ankles had his (unimpressive) member out IN FULL VIEW!!! I could not believe it but my first reaction was to POINT and LAUGH hysterically and shreik "you call THAT a c**k!!!" Mr small-member was jolted, yelled that "I" was a Bitch (to which I replied "no wonder you wore a MASK!!!) he slammed the door and drove off !!! I wish we had picture cellphones back then so I could have snapped-up his sorry-ass image, but looking back I don't want to suggest this was the best way to deal with harrasment, yet I was amazed and somewhat pleased with my reaction, as I was a pretty feisty teenager. Incidentally I contacted the local police who informed me that similar complaints were filed that year within the region and that they would follow-up on it, but I never heard back that they had found this chicken-shit, idiot, loser. Probably because there are so many of them out there.

Submitted by Patricia

For reasons that will become clear, I don't have a photo of the
jackass in question. This is explicit - I'm sorry if this
offends...though I'm not the offender, really.

I'm a huge fan of the clothing-optional beach at Hanlan's Point on
the Toronto Islands. Its clean, the (mostly queer) folks are
respectful, and the beach is not over-run with families. I've got
nothing against families at the beach, just its nice to have a mainly
adult sort of space in the city. Now some people might think that my
girlfriends and I 'deserved' what we got since we had the 'nerve' to
go to a clothing-optional beach and think we wouldn't get harassed.
Well, those people can go back to the family beaches. I've gone to
Hanlan's a dozen times and NEVER had this kind of problem.

So here's what happened. We arrived mid-afternoon at the beach on
Pride Sunday. It was not very busy. We set up our blankets at a
respectful distance from other bathers, not noticing the lone man
about 10m from us. Well, this man certainly noticed us. Within
moments, he began parading around in such a way that his big, floppy
penis bounced around and side to side. ...Okay, that's fine - people
are allowed to walk around naked at Hanlan's. He sat on his towel,
then up striding around again.

It became clear over the next couple of hours that his purpose was to
remain, at all times, directly in our line of sight. We turned around
to face the other way - he walked around and stood right there, 15
feet away. When seated, he faced US, rather than the more usual beach
practice of facing the water. He applied sunscreen to his bits every
15 minutes or so. My friend went to sneak a pee in the bushes and he
strode after her - stopping just short of the bushes, and striding
away as she emerged. He stood (again) 15 feet away, and swiveled his
hips just enough so that his stupid penis flopped side-to-side. He
was a total creep and this image is burned in my brain forever.
Eventually, we left for the clothing-required area; The stupid jerk
put on some shorts and lurked near our picnic area for another hour
before finally giving up.

I am extremely angry about this because this man's behavior a) ruined
our day, and b) it leads to the clothing-optional beach becoming a
'problem'. The beach is NOT the problem, the grossly inappropriate
behavior of some jackass men IS. I don't have a photo of the jerk
because I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of thinking I cared.

Submitted by Kathy

HollaBack Canada In The News!

The Toronto Star has published an article about HollaBack Canada here.

Go enjoy!

1) This didn't actually happen to me, it happened to my 11 year old sister. I was with my sister and my step-sister in downtown Montreal and we were going down the escalator towards the subway. Standing against a wall was is this creepy-looking guy who had to be somewhere between 25-30. He had two dogs with him. My sister loves dogs so she says to my step sister "Woah those arecute dogs!" but she hardly said it loud enough for the guy to hear her. After that he made some comment like how she should smile more often or something like that. My step-sister gave him a dirty look and he said "What? She's so beautiful she should smile more often." We were pretty creeped out and tried to get down the escalator as fast as possible. When we finally got down he started walking down the stairs right next to them so we ran away. It happened pretty fast so I didn't get the chance to say anything or take his picture. I wish I had though, I'm extremely over-protective when it comes to family. The part that gets to me the most is the fact that she's only 11. My sister's one of those super pretty girls who look a little older than they are, like 13 or so, so stuff like this happens to her often, but it's still digusting and he had no right to scare us like that.

2) I went to a Halloween fair with my friend a few years ago. We were about 12. When it was over we asked a guy who had to be around 18 if he knew the time. He said he didn't but then he asked us if we wanted to buy a glow stick. We said no, we had no money and then we walked away. As we walked away he yelled after us that we were whores. We were little kids! What the hell. People can be so stupid. I can't even remember all the times I've had some asshole yell something out a car window. It really disgusts me. There was also this one time where I went to a party in this small town. It was more of a family party since there were some 60 year olds and some 4 year olds. Well this one older guy, around 50,wouldn't stop talking to me the whole night. He told me I was pretty and that I looked 18, I was about 15 at the time. It made me VERY uncomfortable. His son was at the party and everything! I just wish men like that would fuck off.

Submitted by Katy

I was at a strip mall and my mom and I were looking for my dad. My mom went one way I went the other (I was 12). There was a man standing there and when I walked by him, he said "What's your name?" He looked about 22. I said "Why do you need to know?". He said "Because I like you." I was really freaked when he said that so I started to walk away fast and then he said "It's not a hard question! I just want to know your name!"

Submitted by Vanessa

I live in Winnipeg and often take public transit. One Saturday morning I got on the bus #18 to downtown Winnipeg from Osborne. It was 8am and I was on my way to work. I sat down in an empty seat at the back of the bus and out of nowhere this man sits next to me. He reeked of alcohol and because of the energy coming from him I knew this was not going to be pleasant. He kept asking me where I was going and I told him that I was not in the mood for speaking and to leave me alone. I stared out the window willing him to go away and then, to my complete dismay, he blew on my hair. I turned to him and snapped at him to not do that again. But he did and he laughed thinking it was funny. I stood up from the seat and got off the bus at the next stop which was on Graham by the Bay downtown, walked up to the front door of the bus and told the busdriver to keep an eye on the guy who was harassing me. I started walking to the next bus stop when I heard from behind me "Hey, you f'in told on me you bitch." I stopped and turned to face him, I was furious. How dare he treat me this way? Who the hell was he that he could talk to me the way he was, and to harass me the way he had? I yelled right back at him that he deserved it because he was harassing me and to get away from me. He shook his head still swearing and I noted all the people around me watching incase he tried something. But he crossed the street away from me and the bus that had dropped me off came by and stopped to let me back on. The bus driver asked if I was okay. I burst into tears, angry, hot tears and I was shaking miserably. I was furious that this man could think he was given permission to treat me the way he had. At the same time I was proud of myself because I had felt that rage course through me. That female instinct to fight and fight hard. If he had come at me I knew I would have fought with all that rage that I never knew I had.

Submitted by Anette

The safe town of MISSISSAUGA. Me and my two friends walk down the street from our Catholic school to home. As we are both walking, chattering away mindlessly, these two guys from our school are walking behind us, eating beef patties from the corner convenience store and whatnot.

"HEY!"
I turn around, and so do my friends.
"Hey, *myfriendsname*!"
She turns around, her eyes are wide open and mine are furious slits.
"I wanna bang you,"
We look at each other, disgusted.
"Sideways. But you have to wear a paper bag on your head. With a hole in it."
I hear the second guy laughing.
As we pass buy my other friend's house and say our goodbyes, they are walking slightly closer to us. He continues to yell the same disgusting remarks about me.
My friend shakes her head and stops walking. "FUCK OFF!", she screams.
"Please?" He is even more desperate then I thought.
I turn around and remember a quote from my favourite show 'Popular' by Nicole Julian.

"You know, I really would, but I am so booked for tonight.", I say sarcastically. "I don't even have the 2.5 seconds it would take for you to have sex for the very first time and have her laugh right in your red-cheek little face!"

Submitted by Marianne.

I live in Winnipeg and this incident happened to me about a week and a half before Christmas. At the time, I was shopping at the United Army Surplus store on the corner of Portage and Memorial. I was leaning against a display-case counter top when a man walking by rubbed up against my back.

It seemed pretty intentional because of the duration and force of the "rub up", also because when I turned around to look at him, he laughed in my face.
All I had the nerve to do at the time was to stare at him in disbelief. I think, with my ongoing stare, I may have conveyed my urge to maim, because when he turned to look at me again on his way out the door, his smug smile dropped into a surprised and uncomfortable look.
I was so humiliated and angry afterwards. I even considered calling the police with a report that I had been sexually harassed, but after thinking about about it and realizing that nothing worthwhile would come of it, I felt even more angry. This dickface knew that he could get away with his actions because it was insidious; he didn't jump me, rape me or beat me up (thank god!).
So what can you do? I was by myself, I don't own a cell phone, let alone a camera-phone and I wasn't carrying a real camera. That's why I'm so happy that there's a site like Hollaback Canada ...for women to get a chance to vent about being treated like crap and made to feel unsafe and violated. My next large purchase will be a camera phone for the sole purpose of recording and posting the next asshole who wrongs me.

posted anonymously

I can't really say this is an occurence that happens in one certain
area, it's more like everywhere I go.
It's the men who are old enough to be my father who try to pick me up.
First off, what makes you old guys even think that someone young
enough to be your child would even be the least bit interested in
dating you. I could care less what you drive, what your hobbies are or
how much money you make because age does matter, and when you have a
child who's practically old enough for me to date, I see a problem
with you asking me to go skiing with you and your kids.
Secondly is when you assume I'm interested. Do NOT take my
friendliness as a sign to advance. I am a pleasant person with a
confident, happy outlook on life so naturally I'm going to have some
friendly things to say. Responding to your "hi" on the streets doesn't
mean I want to have your children!
Thirdly, is when you don't get that I'm NOT interested. When I don't
respond to your "hi" on the street or walk away fast, or give you the
cold shoulder, I am not playing hard to get, you're just very easy to
resist! If I don't respond I'm either in a hurry, or I don't want to
talk to you...it's usually the second.
My favorite thing is getting hit on by old men who have no chance with
me, no, really! *sarcasm*

submitted by Liz

Way too little, Way too late.

From the comments section of a previous post here on HBCan, we see that the author of the piece of garbage referenced in that post has written something which he seems to believe constitutes an apology for his behaviour. We here at HBCan respectfully disagree.

To the paper's credit, they have published an apology and retraction that does seem sincere, as do their efforts to educate their staff (of which I hope Mr. Reid is no longer a member). If those efforts are, indeed, sincere, then we commend them.

I've been having this re occuring creepy experience where some white guy who didn't get notice that it's heinous to objectify women let alone objectify them for their "exotic" Chinese-ness makes me his target. I thought that kind of thing went out with the 90's!! Apparently it's back in fashion among the idiotic because I've been inundated lately. The most recent was this creep who came for a meeting with the Director of the gallery where I work. As soon as he looked at me he got this weird look on his face. I guess he saw the big opportunity to mangle the Chinese language and slip in a come on while he was at it. That shit makes me feel all gross like I need to get the part of my brain that remembers these incidents sanitized. Ew. When I get my new camera phone you will be exposed to them too so we can all laugh & point or throw stuff at them.

For any men who didn't get the memo:
Keep the fact that you "love Asian women" to yourself and get educated and get help. You look like a moron. You are ignorant and this is not a compliment Mr. Mouth Breather.
No, I don't want to go out with you even though you "love Asian women" and wow, look at me, I'm Asian. Is that supposed to be meant to make me feel grateful Shithead?
Do not think you are clever because you know a few Chinese words and volley them in my direction.
Do not come on to me with the guise of practicing your Mandarin.
Do not expect me to feel all connected to you and bow down because you have done a third world girl a favour by adopting her.

Sadly, this is not limited to straight men. Gay Asian boys get this crap too.

Thanks Hollaback Canada...Can't wait to see the posts.

submitted by su-ying lee

I live in Mississauga, Ont. I find most of the problems on a street named
colonial in the erin mills area. Every so often I have to take the bus to
work. I wait at a bus stop that is right in front of a stop sign.
Unforunately, it's a fairly busy street considering it's in a suburban area.
The stop is right in front of a elementary school. I don't dress too "fancy"
or "provocative" yet everytime any man is stopped in his car at the stop
sign he stares at me. Most are older men and it makes me uncomfortable. In
some cases i think they actually stop just to look at me(normally no one
even stops at the sign).

I've had many guys on this street yell things from their cars as well. Most
of the time I find it best not to look at the road at all.

Submitted by Anna

Again with the harrassing kids!

I'm a patroller at my school, so one day when we were patrolling, we
just did the usual and stopping traffic so students can cross. I blew
the whistle once and our signs went out.... i was checking to see if
anymore cars were coming and then this old, beat up car came
blowing down the hill and four or five 19-year olds made kissy noises
and said "hey beautiful" to me. Well I am 11 but the good part was is
that they went through a stop sign so we wrote down the lisence plate
and the driver's description and repoted them to the constable and
they got a ticket. HA!

submitted anonymously

Even children are not safe

Okay, I am a 13 year old girl who lives in Manitoba. Everyday I go to work
around 3:50pm. Yes, I have a job. I walk by the same house all the time and
about two weeks ago a bunch of guy (ranging from age 16 to age 21) began
yelling "Shake you ass hunnie!" and once they even yelled out a phone
number. These boys are pigs and just think of women as objects. I wish that
men and boys would just realise that you can't get a women if you yell nice
ass and all that to her. I'm 13..... just leave me alone...

submitted by Sonja

It doesn't matter what you wear.

Wow..let me just say that i am so glad i do not have to take a bus to school any more. Well i must have been 13 years old and i was walking to my middle school bus stop during the last week of school. i was wearing a skirt and a camisole (nothing out of the ordinary). As i was walking down the street olding a few books a landscaping truck pulls aside of me and they start yelling vulgar things to me. "Hey, you don't have to go to school today, I will just teach you a few new things". One of them said, as every one in the car laughs and smiles at me. I was so embaressed I wanted to cry. Not even 2 weeks ago i was walking home from work (I'm a store girl at a bakery which is located next to an italian grocery store) and this guy drives by (someone who works at the italian grocery store and also goes to the bakery for a cup of coffee every morning) and he sticks his head out of the window, drives past a stop sign just to watch me walk. I was wearing an XL shirt wih jeans - it wasn't runway material let me say.

submitted by Debbie

An anonymous Reginan has sent us
what passes for acceptable humour at the Carillon (the University of Regina's student newspaper). The article's author is pictured above.

Right, asshole. Exposing yourself to children is really fucking funny*. At least this guy admits that the reason he harrasses women is to upset them, and doesn't pretend like it's a compliment.

If anyone is interested, letters to the Carillon's editors can be sent to kiser@carillon.uregina.ca.

Asshole.

UPDATE: As E points out in the comments, the Carillon appears to have taken the article down. Fortunately, Politics'n'Poetry has a copy up so you don't have to take my word for it that this guy is an asshole.

I don't know if the author or the newspaper have apologized, but I'll look into it. Update 2: It doesn't look like it.

Update 3: As mentioned in our post Way Too Little, Way Too Late the newspaper has issued an apology for printing the offensive article. The author has also written something which he seems to imagine constitutes an apology, but we disagree that it even comes close to apologising for the actual offense. You can find it here.

---

*In this phrase we are responding to the tone of the article, which gave the impression that the author's horror at having exposed himself to a twelve-year-old was tinged with humour.

Hollaback Canada Launch!

We're pleased to announce that Hollaback Canada is now up and running. The guidelines for submitting, and a description of what we are are given in this post below, but you can always find them in the title and sidebar.

For now comments are enabled, but that is a decision we will be reviewing.

HollabackCanada is a place for Canadian women to post photos of and shame their harassers. Although we are not affiliated with Holla Back New York City, this website is based directly on their concept. Please email submissions for HollabackCanada to HollabackCanada@gmail.com.

If you are a Canadian woman who is harassed, catcalled, commented on, kissy-noised at, or otherwise bothered by men on the street, whip out your camera and snap a pic of the offending jackass. Then email the pic, along with the location of the incident (as specific or vague as you like), your name (if you want) and your comments, and we will post it for the world to see.

Racist, homophobic, ableist, classist, or otherwise bigoted comments will NOT be posted. We reserve the right to either edit the offending material before posting, or simply not post, your entry.

All photos and text remain property of their creator, however by sending a photo or text email to hollabackCanada@gmail.com, you give us permission to use it on the HollaBackCanada site.