Catcalling is making a whistle, a shout or a comment of a sexual nature to a woman passing by.
Catcalling deeply affects women's lives; every day in emotional and mental ways.
Firstly, it is a form of objectification. It demonstrates a lack of regard for women's dignity by men, because they treat women as an object to be looked at and to be touched, and not as an intelligent human beings. In American culture, women's bodies are constantly and consistently displayed as sexual objects through pornography, mass media and advertising. The unwanted sexual attention experienced in catcalling is another example of women being regarded as sexual objects.
The consequences arise when a woman begins to objectify her, she regards herself as a mere sex object, to experience body shame and to monitor her external appearance. Furthermore, self-objectification is correlated with negative outcomes, including depression and disorder eating.
Harassment by strangers make women feel more scared than harassment by a known individual at work or at home. Principally, catcalling can lead to chronic stress. For example, an individual may receive one catcall on their walk to work. In isolation, this could be an unpleasant and mildly stressful event, or may not have any bearing on that person's day. However, if this experience occurs every day for months or years, then it becomes a chronic source of stress and can negatively impact mental health. The chronic stress can result into a type of depression called 'Chronic Unexpected Stress' (CSU), that includes social stress (such as overcrowding or isolation) and predatory stress (the feeling of presence of a predator). Predatory stress increases inflammation in several brain areas because it is the body's response to threat, and in the short term protects cells from harm. However, if inflammation is present for a long time, it can start to cause damage. Increased inflammation in the brain has been found in, and may exacerbate Alzheimer's disease and depression. Sometimes, it can even have a negative effect on learning, memory and mood.
Additionally, other effects of catcalling include the fear of rape or several lack of safety, because women don't know if the perpetrator feels safe enough to catcall he could follow through with any other actions, if he sees the opportunity.
In conclusion, catcalling is far "not a big deal". Catcalling a woman it's not a flirtatious and superficial action, but it has big consequences, that can give a lot of issues to a woman.
Catcalling deeply affects women's lives; every day in emotional and mental ways.
Firstly, it is a form of objectification. It demonstrates a lack of regard for women's dignity by men, because they treat women as an object to be looked at and to be touched, and not as an intelligent human beings. In American culture, women's bodies are constantly and consistently displayed as sexual objects through pornography, mass media and advertising. The unwanted sexual attention experienced in catcalling is another example of women being regarded as sexual objects.
The consequences arise when a woman begins to objectify her, she regards herself as a mere sex object, to experience body shame and to monitor her external appearance. Furthermore, self-objectification is correlated with negative outcomes, including depression and disorder eating.
Harassment by strangers make women feel more scared than harassment by a known individual at work or at home. Principally, catcalling can lead to chronic stress. For example, an individual may receive one catcall on their walk to work. In isolation, this could be an unpleasant and mildly stressful event, or may not have any bearing on that person's day. However, if this experience occurs every day for months or years, then it becomes a chronic source of stress and can negatively impact mental health. The chronic stress can result into a type of depression called 'Chronic Unexpected Stress' (CSU), that includes social stress (such as overcrowding or isolation) and predatory stress (the feeling of presence of a predator). Predatory stress increases inflammation in several brain areas because it is the body's response to threat, and in the short term protects cells from harm. However, if inflammation is present for a long time, it can start to cause damage. Increased inflammation in the brain has been found in, and may exacerbate Alzheimer's disease and depression. Sometimes, it can even have a negative effect on learning, memory and mood.
Additionally, other effects of catcalling include the fear of rape or several lack of safety, because women don't know if the perpetrator feels safe enough to catcall he could follow through with any other actions, if he sees the opportunity.
In conclusion, catcalling is far "not a big deal". Catcalling a woman it's not a flirtatious and superficial action, but it has big consequences, that can give a lot of issues to a woman.
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