I went out shopping with my family and we entered this really crowded shop. As I tried to squeeze in between people to get to the exit after finding what I had needed, a man came really close and invaded my personal space intentionally. He gave me a once over and then said ʺyou’re prettyʺ while staring at my breasts. I chose to ignore him, but as I went out from the shop, I felt really embarrassed. I was especially shocked by the fact that he acted that way even though he was a grown man (27 ish) and I was only 17. When I stepped out of the shop, I looked back, and there he was standing, and laughing at me, as if he was saying, “I just degraded you and there is nothing you can do about it.”
That laugh is what really set me off, so i stopped, turned around and screamed at the top of my lungs ʺYOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!!!!!ʺ needless to say, he was really shocked, as if he didn’t realize i actually had a voice and could stand up for myself. he then simply turned around and retreated back into the shop, and i felt very proud of the way i had reacted 🙂
Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?
We should raise awareness of the impact of street harassment on the victims and the way it makes them feel. We also have to teach the younger generations that it’s every human being’s right to feel safe wherever they go, and anyone who tries to change that is going to be punished by the law.
– Eya
Location: Nabel/Tunisia
