Girl, 17, who was cat-called and had her bum slapped by strangers says she felt 'helpless and upset'

A 17-year-old has revealed she felt 'helpless and upset' after experiencing what she described as 'street harassment' by a group of lads - and urged other women to speak out against cat-calling.  

Eva Carroll, from Liverpool, appeared on This Morning today where she opened up about being 'slapped on the bum' by a gang of young boys while walking with her boyfriend. 

The teenager, who already works as an ambassador for a women's rights charity,  revealed that she was left feeling 'helpless, upset and angry' at the incident and explained how it inspired her to take her campaigning even further.

Viewers expressed divided opinions on the story, with many offering the young girl their support - but others told Eva to 'get a life' and even branding her hypocritical for 'showing off her cleavage'. 

Eva said: 'I was like most girls, I'd experienced cat-calling and wolf-whistling. 

'I was walking down the road with my boyfriend in broad daylight, a group of boys sped past and one of them slapped me on the bum and then they sped off. 

'I was left complete helpless and really upset and I was really angry because I knew there was nothing I could do to change it. 

'It all just happened in a flash as with a lot of these incidents of street harassment.'  

Eva went on to explain that the incident inspired to take her activism further and start campaigning against catcalling to her local community, causing 'nearly 100' other girls to come forward with their stories. 

She said: I'm a campaigner for Plan International UK, a woman's rights charity, and they have a campaign against street harassment. 

'But I felt I had to take it a step further; I took it back to my local community, we made videos about it and things like that.

'I wrote an article for my local newspaper and I had nearly 100 girls messaging me, friends of friends, everyone seems to have an experience.

'A lot of people say they felt embarrassed and they felt a burning sensation they didn't know how to deal with.' 

As for what can be done to combat street harassment, Eva believes there needs to be a 'fundamental change' in attitudes towards young women and hopes other females can be inspired by her campaign to speak up against harassment. 

She said: 'It's objectification on a very fundamental level, looking at women and young girls as an inferior class. 

'If you think cat-calling a girl is going to get her to go for a drink with you, the likelihood is very, very low. 

'I think that legal change can be a way to go forward - but what my campaign focuses on is how young women can stand up and be empowered by their experiences and say it's not okay. 

'Fundamental attitude needs to change because of what it represents and the resulting consequences such as rape or gender-based violence that can ensue.' 

Viewers were quick to take to Twitter with their views and many women spoke out in support of Eva, revealing that they too had experienced cat-calling and been made to feel 'unsafe' by unwanted advances. 

One user wrote: 'Most women have a story like this. It's a clear explanation of why we don't feel safe going out or feel safe around men. We don't like it, it's not nice and we always feel uncomfortable going out.' 

Another said: 'Just dont touch another human without consent... simple.' 

A third commented: 'Finally someone is talking about this. I hate walking down the street and be cat-called by old men in vans, it happens all the time and it's just disgusting (sic).'  

However, some viewers slammed Eva, branding her as 'man-hating' and even suggesting that she was being hypocritical by appearing on the show wearing a low-cut dress.  

One male Twitter user wrote: 'A nice little lie from this women to project her own little man-hating group.' 

A second argued: 'The women on #ThisMorning saying she was left violated and devastated for being slapped on her bum, but she's showing off her massive cleavage #GetALife (sic).'

And a third commented: 'So now we're not allowed to slap girls' bums as we ride pass them on our bikes..?!! ffs.. What is the world coming to (sic).'    

Source: Daily Mail

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