We spoke to female students about their experiences with sexual harassment

So-called “celebrity prankster” Vitalii Sediuk was tackled to the ground by Kim Kardashian West’s bodyguards after attempting to literally kiss the star’s butt. The incident occurred less than a week after he attacked Gigi Hadid while she was leaving a show in Milan.

The incidents that happened to Kardashian West and Hadid are just two high-profile examples of immeasurable amounts of sexual assault and harassment many women endure on a regular basis.

For whatever reason, I was sexually harassed or openly objectified more than usual last week. Normally, I’ll brush off an incident or two, but the recent sheer volume really got to me.

A man shouted “how much?” at me out of his car window. A guy to whom I’ve repeatedly expressed my disinterest stopped me on my way to class to give me an unwelcome hug. And on and on.

Wanting to start a dialogue, I decided to ask some friends about harassment they’ve endured on or near campus, specifically how often or if there was an incident that particularly bothered them. I received some disturbing responses.

Taylor Villanueva, 22, Broadcast and Digital Journalism Major

“At least once a week. Guys call out at me as I’m walking and sometimes I don’t hear, but then they get mad when I don’t respond. Even if I did hear them, that’s not how you get a person’s attention.

“Or there will be times that guys will start walking with me to my car even though I say I don’t want to talk. I have to circle around until they leave so they don’t follow me into my car.

“I brought it up in one of my discussion classes once and a male student challenged me and said the only reason I feel unsafe is because I’m short- not because I’m a woman- and if he weren’t six-foot-whatever he’d feel unsafe from other men, too.”

Catalina Gutierrez, 22, Communication Major

“Unfortunately, it’s a pretty regular incident at least weekly, getting catcalled when walking or biking around campus. It’s always upsetting and offensive and never called for or expected.

“It’s hard to choose one incident in particular, but on multiple occasions I’ve had to ask repeatedly for a guy to leave me or my friends alone at a party. Those are the most frustrating because it usually results in the person just getting angry or insulting me or my friends.”

Ciara Lunger, 21, Broadcast and Digital Journalism Major

“My friend and I were taking the metro at like 1:00 am back to USC from Hollywood. (This was freshman year, I didn’t have my car in LA that year, we had to take the metro to get places, and we were dumb and didn’t know the dangers that two young women on the metro past midnight could face.) We were waiting at the station, and these two guys were gesturing toward us and wouldn’t stop looking at us. We ignored them. They tried calling out to us—we kept ignoring them. The train came and we got on, and they got on the same train car. We sat on opposite sides of the train. But they kept staring and making comments.

“One of them got up and moved to a seat closer to us. Then the other one did. Then, after a while, the first guy did it again. Then the second guy did it again. They were inching closer and closer to us, every once in a while trying to get our attention. We didn’t say a word. Finally, before they could move any closer to us, this older man across the aisle from us started talking to us, pretending he knew us. He gave us a wink, like, ‘play along,’ and we did. He said, ‘So, your mom and John are meeting you at the next station, right?’ and we said yes, they were (They were not—I don’t even know a John.)

“Then he proceeded to carry on a conversation with us until we reached our stop where we got off without further incident. That’s one of the more unsettling things I’ve experienced, and I sometimes wonder what would’ve happened if that kind older man hadn’t come to save the day.”

Emily Shu, 21, Business Administration Major

“I would say that I don’t get sexually harassed on campus. But off campus there’ll be people who whistle at me when I walk by. This will usually come from people who are not students.”

Ariel Sobel, 20, Screenwriting, Film Production Major

“I get catcalled so often on the way to and from class that it has become part of the scenery. Multiple times a week. But the worst experience of sexual harassment was from within the student body. I had a TA who continuously sent me flirtatious emails, and even admitted he was taking out his unhappiness in his relationship through harassing me. At the time I was 19; he was over 40. It came to a point where I needed his help in class but I chose to get a lower grade rather that deal with it anymore.

“I still have to see him and be friendly because I don’t want to hurt my reputation at SCA.

“That’s the worst part. I have to pretend it’s acceptable.”

Miya Wensley, 21, Law, History and Culture Major

“I’d say some sort of harassment directed at me or me and my friends occurs approximately three days a week. This is including catcalling and direct confrontation. Direct harassment though occurs less often. One incident that really bothered me occurred last spring. I went to a party (not on the row nor Greek affiliated) and was sober. I was talking with a group of people when a guy came up and stood at my side leaning into me a little and started rubbing my back/arms and commenting on my butt and whatever. I had to tell him multiple times to leave me alone and to stop touching me and even had to push him away a little. After a while he finally left.  An hour or so later though, he came up behind me and groped me.”

Jennifer Cox, 22, Business Administration Major

“I commute now so I’m on campus less. The other day though I was walking to my car from Spudnuts and a man in passing called me a ‘dumb ho.’ One morning when I was walking back home in my going-out clothes from the night before a CSC yellow jacket said something to the effect of ‘damn girl looking good in those heels.’ It’s more catcalling I guess that happens to me more. And then if I go to parties chances are a dumb drunk guy grabs my ass or something.”

Marisa Zocco, 31, Print and Digital Journalism, English Major

“Last semester I was in a situation where for the first time ever I had to aggressively turn around and tell a man to stop pursuing my friends and I while heading to the train at 23rd Street. We walked past Popeyes and a man addressed me as beautiful and when I did not acknowledge him, he followed me and my group of three female friends within a distance of two feet, continuing to demand attention.

“My friends tried to ignore it but I felt my hairs on the back of my neck rising. I turned from the front of my group and directly approached him, my hand out in a ‘stop’ motion, and said ‘No. That’s enough. Completely inappropriate,’ looking him straight in the face. He immediately left. But I felt so violated. So hunted. It’s a very gut feeling, harassment.”

JT Arowosaye, 22, Broadcast and Digital Journalism Major

“I would say at least two to three incidents per year happen to me so like at least six to eight times while I have been at USC. A particular instance that bothered me was my sophomore year when a man in his 40s or 50s was harassing me to give him attention and flirt with me. It went on for like 10 minutes.”

Bryn Graham, 21, Theatre Major

“I’d say it’s a once or twice a month thing, usually someone saying something from a car or as I walk past. The one incident I have in particular was my sophomore year when I was at LA Live (not quite campus I guess but it really bugged me) and a guy paused at a stoplight and started saying shit to me and my friend and then wouldn’t move when the light changed and kept trying to get us to get in his car.”

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I hope this piece starts a conversation. I hope that men reading this either stop harassing women themselves or explain to their peers why sexual harassment is wrong. I hope that women one day can feel safe on their college campuses.

Enough is enough.