"It would really deter you from taking it any further," Jan told news.com.au.
"That stood out as one of the tiny barriers you have to overcome to deal with this issue that's so huge. Every step of the way there's some struggle there for you."
Sexism And The City, a new podcast launched this week by girls' rights organisation Plan International, explores everything from street harassment, to streets being sexist themselves and modern day gender inequality.
In one episode Jan speaks to Dr Pamela Salen, a gender researcher who has analysed parts of Melbourne where young women feel most unhappy.
She found those areas rife with subliminal sexist messaging.
Jan said women often commented how they felt uncomfortable walking down Elizabeth St.
"A lot of the businesses are named after men or have masculine names," she said.
"It was identified as an area having a masculine vibe which I had (not) really thought about before, and how that can somehow affect your experience of that area."
