The City of Rotterdam is organizing the Rotterdam Week Against Sexual Street Harassment from May 12-18, 2025.

Healthy Start PhD candidate Charlotte van Tuijl and designer Robin Smits are actively involved in the program.

The week features a range of free activities aimed at raising awareness about sexual street harassment. Visitors are invited to reflect on how they can contribute to a safer and more socially inclusive Rotterdam — and what role they can personally play in addressing sexual harassment in public spaces.

Healthy Start in the program

Charlotte van Tuijl is a PhD candidate within the Healthy Start ambition ‘Youth Participation and Involvement’. Her research focuses on how youth participation can help better understand and tackle sexual street harassment in Rotterdam. On Tuesday, May 13, she will present the first phase of her research during a closed network meeting organized by the City of Rotterdam.

Robin Smits recently graduated from TU Delft (Industrial Design Engineering), with a thesis focused on youth perspectives on street harassment. Together with Van Tuijl, she will showcase their interactive installation ‘Street Exploration’ during the Student Day at the Shipping and Transport College on Thursday. They will also present the installation on Saturday, May 17, during the Nacht tegen seksueel geweld at De Doelen, along the action walk route against sexual violence.

Street Exploration Installation

How do young people themselves view sexual street harassment? And what motivates them to participate in this kind of behavior?
Smits and Van Tuijl co-developed the ‘Street Exploration’ installation together with young people: an interactive experience where youth can safely explore the impact of their voice, without harming others — a crucial aspect in their identity development. By encouraging positive interactions with strangers in public space, the installation aims to contribute to the prevention of sexual street harassment.

Want to know more? Learn more about the installation and visit it during the Rotterdam Week Against Sexual Street Harassment.