Catcalling as a Double Edged Sword : Midwestern Women, Their Experiences, and the Implications of Men\u27s Catcalling Behaviors

Due to the lack of research surrounding the topic of catcalling, it is essential to give voice to women who have experienced the harm, its effects, and those who perceive it as a societal issue. This study generates discourse regarding Midwestern women\u27s standpoints on catcalling through in-depth respondent interviews about women\u27s experiences and perceptions of catcalling. Thematic analysis of the interviews reveals that catcalling is complex. Women conceptualized catcalling as a primarily negative experience as they associated it with negative emotions and affective states. Women never described catcalling as complimentary, rather, they believed that men perceived their own comments to be compliments. Specifically, the data revealed that women feel that their experiences and perceptions of catcalling are discounted by men and society as catcalling continues to be framed as complimentary