Girls Take a Stand Against Sexual Harassment
29.09.2026 – “My body isn’t a comment section!” “My outfit isn’t an invitation!” or “Aren’t you embarrassed by your own come-ons?” Together with the Working Group on Girls’ Issues, the city’s Women’s Office asked girls and young women how they respond to crude advances. A total of seven responses are now printed on stickers, notepads, and posters. Because even though word has probably gotten around by now: Sexist comments, stupid remarks, whistling and kissing noises, or obscene gestures are not compliments, but rather verbal sexual harassment—also known as catcalling—which, in the worst cases, can lead to physical assaults.
Dr. Inga Halwachs, Municipal Women's and Equal Opportunity Officer for the City of OffenbachEvery year, International Day of the Girl is an important occasion for us to focus on the perspectives of girls
Whether it happens in public spaces, at work or in training, on the schoolyard, or in the classroom, dealing with it remains a challenge for girls, says Lioba Janßen, spokesperson for the working group: “Catcalling and inappropriate comments are a constant part of girls’ and women’s everyday lives, and there isn’t just one right way to react to them. Should they ignore it and walk away, or say something back?” “It was important to us to let the girls speak for themselves,” explains Dr. Inga Halwachs, the municipal women’s and equal opportunity officer for the city of Offenbach: “And we want to empower them. Whether they’re the ones who respond with a lighthearted remark or those who feel deeply unsettled by catcalling—now everyone has several possible responses to choose from.”
In collaborative workshops, the girls not only selected the slogans but also decided on the overall design of the stickers, notebooks, and posters. Designed in warm orange and pink hues, the center of each piece features the girls’ messages to anyone who invades their personal space with comments or remarks. After all, situations perceived as intrusive can be unsettling and undermine a sense of safety. “Unfortunately, this often leads girls and women to avoid certain situations and places or to try to change their behavior so that they remain inconspicuous and thus left alone. But girls and women are not responsible for catcalling; they do not have to justify themselves. They are the ones affected. The campaign by the Girls’ Work Working Group for International Girls’ Day strengthens girls’ rights to speak up, be visible, and set their own boundaries,” said City Councilmember Helena Wolf, who oversees this initiative.
The girls’ messages will go public at the end of September, when the posters will be displayed, also drawing attention to International Girls’ Day on October 11.
This day draws global attention to prejudice, stereotypes, discrimination, violence, and economic inequality, and calls for equal rights, freedoms, and opportunities for girls and boys.
Action Day on October 11
Incidentally, as early as 1999, educators from municipal institutions, organizations, and associations in Offenbach joined forces to form the Working Group on Girls’ Issues, and have been advocating every day since then for the rights and interests of girls in the city. Their work is highlighted in the regularly published Girls’ Report and, since 2013, on International Girls’ Day.
“For us, International Girls’ Day is an important annual occasion to put girls’ perspectives front and center,” explains Halwachs.
The creative materials are intended to keep the topic in the spotlight beyond the day itself and to spark conversations: in schools, youth groups, families, and public spaces. “We hope that the girls’ messages get through and that some of those responsible reflect on their actions. Sexism has many faces, but none of them are compatible with equality. The girls have understood this, and it’s time for everyone else to learn from them.”
