Street Harassment

Street harassment—unwanted comments, gestures or acts directed at someone in a public space—is unfortunately a common experience for women across the globe. Yet this behavior is often not taken seriously. Here at Ms., we recognize that street harassment is a real and dangerous form of gender-based violence.

One in Three U.S. Women Is Stalked. A Harvard Study Is Finally Talking About It.

PUBLISHED 10/22/2025 by

When Tammy was being stalked by her ex, she didn’t know what to do or where to go. Tammy said it was the roughest part of her life, mentally and physically. Soon after, Human Options, a nonprofit based on Orange County, Calif., became her outlet and a safe haven for her to receive legal counseling and housing.

Tammy’s case is not isolated. In a recent study out of Harvard, 66,270 women were studied over a nearly 20-year period to determine the health effects of stalking: Women become more susceptible to heart disease.

Men, Reproductive Choice Is Not Just a ‘Women’s Issue’—This Is Your Issue Too

PUBLISHED 6/18/2022 by

We need to socialize men differently and create a united force of activists. Men need to be a part of the larger conversation, and work to dismantle the idea that reproductive choice is simply “a women’s problem.”

Reproductive choice is not just a women’s issue. We all are well aware that it does not take just a single person to get pregnant. If Roe falls, it will affect everyone.

May 2022 Reads for the Rest of Us

PUBLISHED 5/6/2022 by

Each month, I provide Ms. readers with a list of new books being published by writers from historically excluded groups.

Whether you read for knowledge or leisure, books are so important. May is a big month for new releases by women and writers of historically excluded communities; I’ve highlighted 60 of them here, but there are many more. I hope you’ll find some here that will help you reflect and act in whatever ways you can. 

Anti-Trans Extremists ‘Come For’ Doctors

PUBLISHED 3/30/2022 by

Coordinated harassment campaigns. Crowds of angry picketers. Tracking doctors to their homes. If the current anti-trans tactics sound familiar, that’s because they’re borrowed from anti-abortion campaigns.

“An individual provider who has a wolf at the door? It has led some people to say ‘I’m just not doing this work anymore,’” said transgender rights advocate Erin Reed. “We are losing providers, good providers.”

Shifting the Onus of Responsibility From Victims of Anti-Asian Violence to Perpetrators: Looking Beyond “Situational Awareness”

PUBLISHED 5/19/2021 by

The other day, I received an email from my medical school in response to increased acts of violence and hate against Asians—like me. The Department of Public Safety was offering “Situational Awareness” training sessions. While well intended, situational awareness training returns the onus and therefore responsibility of safety squarely on the shoulders of victims of violence.