“I do remember them laughing as they saw the fear on my face”

I was eleven the first time I was harassed. Some guys in their twenties yelled at me as they drove by. I don’t remember the encounter very well, but I do remember them laughing as they saw the fear on my face. One of the the scariest moments of my life happened more recently. I was walking down a deserted street when several drunk guys screamed, “Hey baby! You want dick?” out of the window of their pickup. There was absolutely no one else around. I was scared out of my mind- I honestly thought I was going to raped, or worse.

This moment that those guys probably forgot about minutes later traumatized me. I didn’t tell anyone about it for a long time because I was afraid they would think I was ridiculous for being scared. How messed up is our world that I can be harassed and traumatized like that and then be scared to talk about it?

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

Encourage everyone, but especially men, to speak up and intervene when they see a women being harassed. Screw politeness!

– KR