Leering and Catcalling
I'm sure you're all aware that recently their have been numerous videos and long pieces of footage released on social media of women walking through the streets going about their daily business and getting consistently harassed by males.
Many people have a narrow mind when it comes to street harassment. Quite a lot of the time it is just brushed under the carpet, women are told they need to 'take it on the chin, it's just a compliment'. In actual fact, this kind of misogynist behaviour can escalate from whistling, 'squeaking', to more severe stuff such as fondling without content, sexually explicit comments, harassment, assault, stalking and even murder in some very extreme cases.
Going to Derby College means I have to walk through a very busy town to get too and from there. In the past one and a half years I have been there, I have lost count of the amount of times I have received these kinds of comments and wolf whistles. Due to anxiety I don't take it very well and have had to calm myself down on numerous occasions due to high anxiety plus, I can get very aggressive and blunt due to my natural defensive mechanism I have with strangers. Especially strangers who find it appropriate to harass me while I am minding my own business.
One occasion, I was walking back from college alone last year during winter, so it was getting quite dark. BUT, I wasn't too unnerved as their were loads of people about doing their Christmas shopping and whatever. Just as I was cutting through the Assembly Rooms a group of young males in tracky bottoms and hoodies started towards me, squeaking and whistling making explicit comments about my bum.
About a week ago now, as well, I had my headphones in when walking back from college and a group of about three boy racers zoomed past me, all beeping their horns at me. Due to the fact I had my headphones in, it made it even more shocking as I was completely zoned out. People seriously need to be careful with how they approach people in public like this. Not only is it just inappropriate, but you don't know these people and whether they have anxiety issues or anything that makes them even more vulnerable when out and about.
To all these delusional people saying this is a non-existent problem as well, and saying that us women should be able to 'take a compliment', getting stalked or objectified because of our appearance isn't a compliment. It's far from it. It's just plain harassment. Honestly, I would much rather someone approached me in a civilised manner and said, 'excuse me, I think you look really beautiful in that outfit', rather then 'OI OI SWEETHEART LET ME SHAG YOUR BRAINS OUT'.
Other than that, there's not really much more I can say about it. Boys, if you find a girl attractive in public and she is trying to go about her business in peace, do not heckle at her or make innapropriate comments because that is not what she is there for. She is not a Barbie doll walking around to just get harassed. She has a life. She is a human. Leave her to it. If you're really desperate to say something, make a more dignified approach and tell her something nice and not explicit.
Sincerley, Girls
Many people have a narrow mind when it comes to street harassment. Quite a lot of the time it is just brushed under the carpet, women are told they need to 'take it on the chin, it's just a compliment'. In actual fact, this kind of misogynist behaviour can escalate from whistling, 'squeaking', to more severe stuff such as fondling without content, sexually explicit comments, harassment, assault, stalking and even murder in some very extreme cases.
Going to Derby College means I have to walk through a very busy town to get too and from there. In the past one and a half years I have been there, I have lost count of the amount of times I have received these kinds of comments and wolf whistles. Due to anxiety I don't take it very well and have had to calm myself down on numerous occasions due to high anxiety plus, I can get very aggressive and blunt due to my natural defensive mechanism I have with strangers. Especially strangers who find it appropriate to harass me while I am minding my own business.
One occasion, I was walking back from college alone last year during winter, so it was getting quite dark. BUT, I wasn't too unnerved as their were loads of people about doing their Christmas shopping and whatever. Just as I was cutting through the Assembly Rooms a group of young males in tracky bottoms and hoodies started towards me, squeaking and whistling making explicit comments about my bum.
About a week ago now, as well, I had my headphones in when walking back from college and a group of about three boy racers zoomed past me, all beeping their horns at me. Due to the fact I had my headphones in, it made it even more shocking as I was completely zoned out. People seriously need to be careful with how they approach people in public like this. Not only is it just inappropriate, but you don't know these people and whether they have anxiety issues or anything that makes them even more vulnerable when out and about.
To all these delusional people saying this is a non-existent problem as well, and saying that us women should be able to 'take a compliment', getting stalked or objectified because of our appearance isn't a compliment. It's far from it. It's just plain harassment. Honestly, I would much rather someone approached me in a civilised manner and said, 'excuse me, I think you look really beautiful in that outfit', rather then 'OI OI SWEETHEART LET ME SHAG YOUR BRAINS OUT'.
Other than that, there's not really much more I can say about it. Boys, if you find a girl attractive in public and she is trying to go about her business in peace, do not heckle at her or make innapropriate comments because that is not what she is there for. She is not a Barbie doll walking around to just get harassed. She has a life. She is a human. Leave her to it. If you're really desperate to say something, make a more dignified approach and tell her something nice and not explicit.
Sincerley, Girls
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