Video | 100 cat calls in 10 hours: New York street harassment video goes viral

A video that shows a woman being pestered by men on the streets of New York has gone viral, sparking renewed debate about harassment endured by women and minority groups.

The two-minute video shows actress Shoshana Roberts walking silently in jeans and a T-shirt through Manhattan as man after man greets her with remarks such as "hey, baby" or "hey, beautiful".

When she does not respond, she is admonished for being rude with comments such as "smile" or "somebody's acknowledging you for being beautiful. You should say thank you more."

Called "10 hours of walking in NYC as a woman", the video has been viewed 9.8 million times since being uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday. It was produced for charity Hollaback! which works to end street harassment endured by women and minority groups such as gays and lesbians.

At one point the video shows a man who walked alongside Roberts for five minutes without saying a word, causing her clear alarm.