For all the women who never got to bloom

I am a woman, I am an unapologetic feminist and I feel quite strongly that as a people we have to look at ourselves and decide what we want for our society. Too many times I have heard both men and women criticising women for the provocative clothes worn, about them walking alone at night being stupid etc. I’ve even heard both men and women actually say ‘well she was pretty much asking for it’ when they see news like the Sarah Everard case. The comments I’ve been reading (positive and negative) have raised some serious issues, which I was discussing yesterday in my sociology class. One of the girls had in the lesson before had to argue with a boy about whether she was ‘asking to be raped’ because she would walk by herself at night! She was rightly pipped at him! She then talked about being upskirted in broad daylight when she was 14 by a young man who bent down ‘to tie his shoe laces’ but who took a photo up her skirt. I told them about the time as a 17 year old girl I was followed home from work by a man who pinched my backside and ran off as I neared home. Talking later in the staff room I was talking to other female members of staff who had had similar experiences.
We have to stop accepting this but how? The girl I was talking to said she didn’t do anything other than tell the man to f-off because she felt that as a 14 year old girl she wouldn’t be believed or taken seriously. I remember running into my home and telling my dad who bolted outside with righteous anger but the man was long gone. I never reported it to the police, for the same reasons as the young girl in my class. None of us do anything about it, we feel powerless, ridiculous and those who do report it are often trivialised and humiliated by male police officers! I saw the post below on Facebook by my niece and thought it apt to go with this shot.

Not ALL men but MOST women

I cannot remember a time when walking alone I was not pretending to be on the phone, or have headphones in but nothing playing so I can be aware of my surroundings. Carrying a key in my hand when walking to my car. Checking who is around before opening my car and locking the doors when inside. Crossing the road when approaching men coming the opposite way or pretending to go into a house if I feel I am being followed. Being whistled or shouted at from cars and building sites.
MOST women would have or do feel uncomfortable when out alone.
NOT all men should feel they are the problem.
EVERYONE needs to be aware of others feelings, worries and concerns.