This new anti-street harassment campaign in Dublin is so important

Catcalling, wolf-whistling, eve teasing - whatever you want to call it, street harassment is not on.

Not only does it make women feel uncomfortable, but it can also be threatening, scary, and even dangerous. Worse still is the inability of those who harass people on the street to understand that their behaviour is unwanted. Telling someone you know that they look nice today can be considered a compliment. Shouting at someone in the street to tell them that you think they're gorgeous can not be. In order to tackle the prevalence of street harassment, Dublin City Council has launched a campaign that gets right to the heart of the matter - an ad that reads "a sexist remark is not a compliment." The poster also reads:

"Street harassment is unwanted, unacceptable, and makes women feel unsafe."

The ad is supporting the UN Women's Safe Cities Global Initiative which aims to create safe public spaces for women around the world. According to the campaign, women and girls experience a variety of sexual abuse and sexual violence in public that prohibits their movement in these spaces. They say that while violence in private is now largely recognised as a human right's issue, sexual violence in the streets is still a neglected area.

 "(Street harassment) reduces (women's) ability to participate in school, work and public life. It limits their access to essential services and their enjoyment of cultural and recreational opportunities. It also negatively impacts their health and well-being."

According to anti-catcalling group Hollaback!, the majority of women around the world first experience street harassment during puberty. The group's study also found that half of women in 22 countries had been fondled or grouped in public before. Similar anti-street harassment campaigns have also appeared in the past in places like Paris, Liberia, and South Africa. Hollaback! even have an interactive map detailing the exact spots where women have been catcalled. Each pin on the map tells a different story from a different woman about the harassment she experienced.