Local student fed up with catcalling starts a hotline

It may be the City of Brotherly Love but sometimes lust crosses a line. Many females around here may have been subjected to catcalls while walking down Philly streets. Well, one 21-year-old is fed up and has set up her own catcall hotline to teach these catcallers a lesson.

"Hello. You received this number because you made someone feel uncomfortable by catcalling or harassing them." That's the strong message University of the Arts rising senior Cara Corrigan is sending to men all over the area who insist on catcalling women.

"The way catcalling works is it's usually nasty terms, a lot of profanity, direct comments on body parts," she told FOX 29.

Cara says the nice weather has brought out the worst in human nature. She says she and fellow students can't walk to class without men on the street sexually harassing them--sometimes passerby, sometimes construction workers.

So Cara set up a phone number women can hand out to rude strangers. Complete with business cards you can print out. They'll think they scored your number and maybe they'll even get the message.

"It is not flattering when a man whistles at you or intensely looks you up and down on the street," the message says.

The movement is a hit on social media--some women thanking the theater arts major for her courage and cleverness.

Cara isn't expecting catcalling to stop completely, but she wants to start the dialogue necessary for change. She's heard from many women who have felt alone in their experiences.

"We're humans, we're not pieces of meat, or toys to play with," she explained.