I am a Latin woman living alone in The Netherlands. I speak Spanish and English, but I don’t speak Dutch. People here often ask about my culture and the role of women in society; they like to say women here are treated with equality, but sadly I have to tell them this is the first time in my life when I am actually afraid of going out in the night alone.
I have been followed 3 times in less than 10 months, catcalled almost every single day (sometimes I wish I could understand what they are actually saying) and even had a man danced ridiculously at me and not letting me follow my way at the train station.
The first time I was followed I realized a man was watching me and I decided to go shopping, several minutes later I realized he had followed me across the city centre, and now he was following me inside of the store, he approached and started asking questions about me and I told him to leave, the same mechanics repeated 5 times until he finally left. I felt so angry and powerless.
After that first time I tried to buy pepper spray, I couldn’t, it is illegal here. The second time I was followed I was carrying grocery bags, going home. I thought if the man didn’t leave me alone I could throw him something out at him. The third time, I was returning home from a club. A man started walking next to me asking me if I was going home and telling me to go back to the club, with him. I told him to go away but he didn’t listen and continued following me until I almost got home. I had to stop and tell him I would yell and call the police. When he finally left I ran home.
Again I felt powerless, this time I was not angry, I was afraid.
– MVM
Location: Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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