I read a news report somewhere sometime ago that gave an account of a 13 year old boy raping his 10 year old neighbour . When he was asked why he did it he replied because he watched it on TV . He was then asked if she told him she didn't like it or ask him to stop , he replied "yes , but girls can't say no , they don't always know what they want" .
This lead me to wonder what kind of environment has this little boy been living in ? Who taught him that females can't say no? Where did he learn to objectify women ? The answer ? He learnt it from you and me , from watching TV and from the music he listens.
We live in a society where females are treated like things , sexual things . Where our bodies are used to entertain and advertise . Females are objectified to the extent where random men on the street feel like they have some ownership of your body . Which leads to men always TELLING , almost commanding women to smile . Which may seem harmless but he doesn't tell other men that may seem unpleasant to smile it falls under the same umbrella of actions as catcalling .
It is quite common for men to pssst after females or comment on their bodies in What can only be referred to as a derogatory manner . And if the female doesn't respond she is met with verbal and even physical abuse .
It is the opinion of many that if a woman is skimply clad then she is opening up herself for this type of abuse . Meanwhile men can walk around in whatever they see fit for their mood and the weather but God forbid a woman wears shorts and a tank top on a summer day it some how means she was asking for it .
It is puzzling how her attitude , her clothes , the events that she attends translates to a man having open access to abuse her and of course she was asking for it right ?
We as a society NEED to teach our boys that no means no . That women aren't things that they are to control and use . We must teach our women that she is entitled to her own body , she doesn't have to feel guilty for liking tube tops and wearing a mini skirt doesn't give anyone the right to abuse her .
The next time you as a man open your mouth to 'complement' a woman on her body , to command her to smile or adjust her attitude , to psst after a woman until she is obviously uncomfortable , remember your sister, your mother , your aunts and your girlfriend and remember that she is walking home with her keys spiked between her fingers . After passing a group of catcallers she looks back a million times to check if she is safe . Remember that she is left to bear the weight of the sexual desire of every man she comes in contact with and be resolved to to do that to any woman .
This lead me to wonder what kind of environment has this little boy been living in ? Who taught him that females can't say no? Where did he learn to objectify women ? The answer ? He learnt it from you and me , from watching TV and from the music he listens.
We live in a society where females are treated like things , sexual things . Where our bodies are used to entertain and advertise . Females are objectified to the extent where random men on the street feel like they have some ownership of your body . Which leads to men always TELLING , almost commanding women to smile . Which may seem harmless but he doesn't tell other men that may seem unpleasant to smile it falls under the same umbrella of actions as catcalling .
It is quite common for men to pssst after females or comment on their bodies in What can only be referred to as a derogatory manner . And if the female doesn't respond she is met with verbal and even physical abuse .
It is the opinion of many that if a woman is skimply clad then she is opening up herself for this type of abuse . Meanwhile men can walk around in whatever they see fit for their mood and the weather but God forbid a woman wears shorts and a tank top on a summer day it some how means she was asking for it .
It is puzzling how her attitude , her clothes , the events that she attends translates to a man having open access to abuse her and of course she was asking for it right ?
We as a society NEED to teach our boys that no means no . That women aren't things that they are to control and use . We must teach our women that she is entitled to her own body , she doesn't have to feel guilty for liking tube tops and wearing a mini skirt doesn't give anyone the right to abuse her .
The next time you as a man open your mouth to 'complement' a woman on her body , to command her to smile or adjust her attitude , to psst after a woman until she is obviously uncomfortable , remember your sister, your mother , your aunts and your girlfriend and remember that she is walking home with her keys spiked between her fingers . After passing a group of catcallers she looks back a million times to check if she is safe . Remember that she is left to bear the weight of the sexual desire of every man she comes in contact with and be resolved to to do that to any woman .
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