Mayoral Photography Office
(New York, New York) – New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is rolling out a six-figure public awareness campaign aimed at reducing street harassment, with ads set to appear across subways, ferries, sidewalks, and construction-heavy areas throughout the five boroughs.
Mamdani announced the $250,000 initiative will run through April, aligning with Sexual Violence Awareness Month. The campaign features bold, animated messaging designed to confront common forms of verbal harassment, including catcalling, and reframe them as unacceptable behavior.
City officials say the ads will be highly visible, appearing millions of times across subway systems and Staten Island Ferry terminals. Additional placements include decals on sidewalks and signage near dozens of construction sites—areas often cited in complaints related to harassment.
The campaign is being led by the NYC Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, which says the effort is rooted in recent data showing how widespread the issue has become. A city-backed survey found that a large majority of New Yorkers report experiencing some form of street harassment, with many describing lasting emotional impacts.
According to officials, more than half of those surveyed said they experienced physical forms of harassment, such as being followed or recorded without consent. Many respondents also reported changing their daily routines to avoid certain areas, while some said the experiences made them consider leaving the city altogether.
The ads include QR codes directing viewers to multilingual resources and support services. Outreach teams will also distribute informational materials at major transit hubs to further expand the campaign’s reach.
City leaders say the goal is not just awareness, but cultural change—encouraging bystanders to intervene safely and reinforcing that unwanted attention in public spaces can have serious consequences.
The initiative will be visible across multiple subway lines and ferry terminals, with a concentrated presence in high-traffic areas of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.
