Safe Streets for All: Ending Harassment Together

A report from End Street Harassment

Safe Streets for All: Ending Harassment Together is a report by End Street Harassment Pittsburgh. It examines the prevalence, forms, and impacts of street harassment in downtown Pittsburgh, drawing on interviews and focus groups with high school and college students. Street harassment is unwanted behavior in public spaces—ranging from verbal comments and following to physical contact. Street harassment disproportionately affects women and marginalized groups. Findings show that harassment commonly occurs in everyday locations like public transit, streets, and campuses, leading to significant emotional and psychological effects such as fear, anxiety, anger, and reduced feelings of safety. The report also emphasizes that bystanders and authority figures fail to intervene and may even minimize these experiences, worsening their impact. To address this issue, End Street Harassment PGH advocates for greater awareness, community responsibility, and the use of bystander intervention strategies like the “5 Ds,” along with institutional changes such as improved training, clearer policies, and stronger support systems to create safer, more inclusive public spaces.