You might have heard other people ask that kind of question: "but why don't they tell anyone about them getting harassed?" Perhaps you yourself have questioned it once. Or maybe it has crossed your mind at some point.
Back in the 7th grade, I was an expressive girl. I couldn't stay quiet, I moved around, played around the classroom. At one point, a boy accidentally touched my chest, and he laughed. Ooh, I felt so ashamed! It was unintentional but it made me feel exposed. I hated it and was deeply embarrassed about it. Thus, I never talked to my friends about it. Firstly, because it didn't matter, at least to them. Secondly, because as I said, I was so ashamed.
The same thing happened when I was in the 10th grade. It was awful. I am completely aware that none of those cases was intentional. But it still left me feeling very shameful, and I felt uncomfortable whenever thoughts about them come to my mind.
I am writing about this based on what I feel and felt, only based on myself. I consider my chest a very private part of my body.
Which is why I never talked about it. I never talked about my chest getting accidentally touched by boys my age until now.
Now I can't even imagine what of those women who actually experience the real thing - harassment that is done completely intentionally? Those women who get harassed by their workmates, those girls that get harassed by their classmates, by their own family members, basically by anyone who has no decency at all.
My heart goes to those women.
Time's up for "but why don't they speak up about getting harassed?"
No matter what their reason is, it is none of our business. It can't be used as a parameter for us to judge the victims, in fact, we can't judge them at all.
It's time for "how are you holding up?"
It's time to be there for them and support them.
It's time for us to be hand in hand, fighting against discrimination.