I must confess I didn't start feeling this way until COVID struck and I couldn't stop reading headlines about my people (diaspora Asians) getting either verbally or physically assaulted. I then spent the next year trying to deal with those feelings and figuring out my new baseline level of comfort.

That being said, I rarely get catcalled, stared at inappropriately, etc. If you're feeling unsafe because of those actions, then I totally get it as well - it doesn't happen much where I live except for in sketchy areas, but it could get pretty blatant when I traveled to certain places around the world. I'm sorry it's still happening to you.

I don't know if the feeling ever really goes away - I know I've been at a new baseline since COVID and I don't think I'll ever go back to my pre-2020 state of blissful ignorance. It's just a baseline level of fear and anxiety that you learn to live with, maybe, and it sucks. I do think it gets better with exposure, but you can't wipe it entirely and nor should you. To a certain extent, it's probably wiser to be vigilant.