Sexual Harrassment

When I was a young woman, I was sexually and publicly harrassed by complete strangers, on an almost daily basis.  I remember the unwanted catcalls, the unwanted gestures, the unwanted comments made as I simply walked down a public street.  I remember the fear it struck in my heart as I worried the harrassers might actually touch me physically.  I remember wondering why these men (or boys) believed they had the right to talk to me like this.  I remember the feeling of helplessness and anger.

As an elderly woman, I sometimes breathe a sigh of relief that this doesn't happen to me any more but then I realize that those same things are still happening to young women today and I feel sympathy, disgust, worry, and sadness that not much has changed in this world.

Most parents are able to teach their sons that females deserve their respect but it apparently still fails with way too many of them.  When you think of it, when a grown man howls out sexual insults to a young woman he doesn't even know, it's a form of bullying.  I've never known a woman who takes catcalls as a compliment...it's too uncomfortable for that.  And don't ever think the aggressor doesn't know it.

I've advised my granddaughters to ignore it unless it becomes too aggressive and then to call the police.  It is much too dangerous for them to confront the harrasser, especially if a woman is alone.  Confrontation probably would do no good, anyway, but just give the harrasser more time to play his games.

But we can change male attitudes like this, maybe not in a generation or two but it can be done.  More males are now educated to understand that females were not put on this earth for their amusement but as human beings who deserve their respect.  As these numbers grow and as these respectful males set examples for their friends, it really can change how society views women.

Females have been fighting for equality and respect since neanderthal man supposedly clubbed an unsubmissive female over the head and dragged her to his cave.  It's scary to see how things haven't improved as much as we women had hoped.