I think women are taught four things growing up: To accept,
to expect, to tolerate, and most importantly, to stay quiet. This is especially
the case with harassment, which is often an issue that barely ever undergoes
discussion, and if it does, the victim is usually the one the blame.
What I mean by that, is, basically, whenever I leave my
house and get in my car, I am supposed to expect to be tailgated or to be
honked at several times or to find someone on the next lane, pulling down their
window, and asking for my number, or to find someone follow me around a mall,
or to even find myself on social media being mocked at by a complete stranger.
Then, I am required to accept this, as this is the reality of what it means to
be a woman in my society. I must therefore tolerate all the insults and the
condescending glares coming my way.
And most importantly, I must stay quiet. Never speak up.
Because, in the case of which I do, I will get blamed. Most cases of sexual
harassment go unreported, because most women cannot prove their case, and they
are too afraid of the backlash they will, most likely receive, which includes
actually being blamed for something that happened to them, and which was beyond their control.
Think about it, have you ever met a woman who bluntly talks
about that one time when that one stranger followed her to her house; or that
one stranger who kept calling her and sent her death threats?
And, have you ever met a woman who does not constantly have
to worry about herself being harassed? Or the direct opposite: A woman who sees
harassment as a norm? As a part of her reality?
That, at some point and stage of our lives, we are going to
be demeaned; that we are going to be treated as though we are the slightest
puff of winter air in the Arabian Peninsula: Here for a minute, and gone the
next! Here to take full advantage of, gone the next. And then on to the next
one, and then on and on the cycle goes.
