A public protest or gathering (done with the correct permits!) is certainly a great way to create visibility, but femme activists around the world have found interesting and engaging ways to promote SVP through direct action.
Girls for Gender Equity, an organization in New York, co-opted the town hall event format to amplify silenced voices of girls of color, creating space for attendees to talk about sexual harassment and racism, amongst other topics.
In their town hall, organizers created panels for different topics, giving audience members the chance to ask questions and share their opinions. Check out their website to read about the format of the event and get inspiration for your own town hall!
Hollaback! is a world-wide organization organizing against sexual harassment in all forms.
One of their actions they recommend is the Flash Mob, which is like a protest that engages the audience. They offer extensive tips here, but here are some takeaways for SVP flash mobs (from their page):
Take Back the Night (TBtN) vigils are a common form of SVP direct action across the country in cities and on campuses. The event normally begins with a march and ends with a safe space where survivors of SV can share their stories, either in person or read by a volunteer (submitted anonymously beforehand).
Take Back the Night organization provides a great manual for organizing your own TBtN event in your community.
Sprout Distro has a fabulous array of zines [link to zine page] with instructions for different forms of direct action.
Most events that occur in public spaces require permits. Check with your local police department or Parks & Recreation department to see how to acquire the necessary permits for events.