TV reporter shares video of man harassing her as ‘a wake-up call to people who aren’t experiencing it’
Young Black journalist asks why men think women want to be talked to that way’, and shared footage of catcalling to raise awareness
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Your support makes all the difference.A local TV news reporter has spoken out about the abuse she suffers while working “out in the field” after a man was caught catcalling her in Rochester, New York.
Brianna Hamblin, who works for Spectrum News, said she was about to go on air when she was approached by a man who began to harass her in a residential neighbourhood.
In a video shared by the reporter on Twitter in July, a man can be seen walking into view and catcalling her and says “you’re beautiful as hell”.
He is then heard telling her that he “can’t be alone with a Black woman” and “can’t stand these white girls”, in what he appeared to think was a compliment.
“Have a great rest of your day”, she replies, and as the man is heard walking away, says to herself “oh my god”.
Ms Hambiln afterwards took to Twitter and wrote that “in no way is this endearing. It’s uncomfortable. It’s gross”, and accused the man of “talking down on one group of women to ‘praise’ another group”.
“The audacity of the things men say to me never ceases to amaze me,” she added. “What makes you think women want to be talked to that way?”
“Being hit on and harassed as a woman, especially as a woman reporter out in the field, happens so often you learn how to roll with it or ignore it,” wrote Ms Hamblin.
“This time it happened to be recorded only seconds before my hit. There are A LOT of things wrong with this.”
In an interview with USA Today, she added that although she encountered harassment before, “there were so many men that were shocked by (the video)”, she wanted to share it widely.
“It is sometimes a wake-up call to people who aren't ... experiencing it,” she said. “I was not expecting it to be as widespread as it has been."
In a statement to the network, Spectrum News said it was proud of how Ms Hamblin handled the situation, and for “remaining calm and professional throughout.”
“We want our employees to feel safe and are constantly working toward achieving that goal”.
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