Utrecht starts catcalling men in campaign against sexual harassment on the street

The municipality of Utrecht is kicking off a campaign against sexual harassment on the street on Friday by catcalling men as they walk. The city wants to draw attention to this type of harassment - which half of women and girls in Utrecht regularly fall victim to - by making men feel "how uncomfortable and sometimes even threatening" it is, NOS reports.

A woman on a screen will catcall men as they walk the streets around Stadhuisburg between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Municipal employees will approach the men who got catcalled to talk to them about the campaign's purpose and ask how they feel about it.

The campaign's kick-off is deliberately confrontational and abrasive, a spokesperson for the municipality said to NOS. "With this action, men and boys are really addressed or harassed as women often are," he said. "Men can be part of the solution by confronting their friends about this kind of behavior."

From May 23, Utrecht will draw attention to the problem that is sexual harassment. The campaign will run in the city and on social media. It also focuses on the importance of reporting harassment so that the municipality can gain more insight into it. The campaign focuses mainly on women and girls but also on other often-victimized groups like LGBTQI+ people and people who visibly proclaim their faith.