Vicky Simister

Vicky Simister

Name: Vicky Simister
Where: UK
What she does: Founded the Anti Street Harassment Campaign.
Impact: Has made the previously ‘silent’ issue of street harassment a matter of public interest.
Nominated by: Katie

Website: www.ashcampaign.org

Vicky Simister founded the Anti Street Harassment Campaign last year after she was sexually harassed, then assaulted, on the street. When the police arrived they implied she had brought about her own attack by responding unfavourably to the harasser’s “compliments”  Vicky couldn’t find any charities who handled street harassment so she decided to launch her own campaign to raise awareness. She now gives talks to groups of women in universities, at the Women’s Institute and at protests, and is lobbying politicians to do something about street harassment.

What makes her achievements all the more impressive is that she grew up on a council estate and had a strictly religious background where women had to ‘know their place’ and not ‘question men in public’. But she certainly won’t let anyone put her in her place anymore… this girl has a voice, and she’s going to use it.