Sophomore Alexis Pickens is one of many students who have encountered catcalling on campus (Photo Tania Bureau)
Tania Contributing Writer
Many students at UMF have experienced catcalling on campus, feel that it is disrespectful, and wish it would stop.
Audrey Spear, a sophomore, was walking back from class when a silver car drove by and a guy called out the window and made a comment about her legs. “This made me feel objectictified and disgusting,” said Spear.
Alexis Pickens, a sophomore, hates how she feels after getting catcalled. “It does not make me feel good and it does not make me feel beautiful, it makes me feel very gross,” said Pickens. “When it comes down to it, it is inappropriate and disgusting.”
Claudia Intama says she gets catcalled when she walks on campus. “I live off campus and I walk everyday and sometimes it is really bad bad,” said Intama. “Sometimes people will slow down, roll down their windows, and yell things at me that are very inappropriate, and laugh, ‘ha ha ha’ and roll up their window and keep going.”
Pickens made it clear that women find catcalling very offensive. “It’s not a cool thing to do. I don’t know if it’s because you’re showing off to your friends, or have nothing better to do,” said Pickens. “Either way it is not acceptable, at all. It does not make women feel good about themselves. It certainly doesn’t make them want to date you.”
Intama doesn’t understand the energy it takes to catcall someone when they could just keep driving. “It’s much more than a funny game,” said Intama.“I don’t like it.”
CVPC, which stands for “Campus Violence Prevention Coalition,” an organization on campus that works to prevent sexual violence. There is a lot of facility support, but it is student driven, and is run through student life.
The group “tables” once a month in the student center and organizes activities. “CVPC creates an awareness that there are problems and there are things that we need to talk about even if they make us uncomfortable,” said Intama, who is also works for CVPC. “So really it’s just trying to bring awareness to different issues, that affect us here at UMF, and also affect us as a larger society.”
Intama believes that a way to stop catcalling is education. “Education to get at people that this is wrong and I don’t think that society is at that point yet, and that’s why we are here at CVPC to help educate,” said Intama. “I think awareness is really important.”
On October 26th, CVPC will be tabling for “Purple Day” where students wear purple for domestic violence awareness and prevention. CVPC has a Facebook page where students can leave messages and see future events. https://www.facebook.com/CVPCatUMF/