“I’m a one woman army, and I will NOT give up!”

I’m not exactly sore how this happened, but… I actually was diagnosed with psychosis after I was upset because of harassment.

It was the summer of 2005, the happiest summer of my life, a week before my sophomore year in high school began.

I was a plain dresser, but I decided to wear a long pale green chiffon skirt and a shirt with sequin flowers, when I went to buy some candy and lend a movie from the library.

When I walked through a small square, this pretty normal- looking man glared at me and said in a grumpy voice, “Nice boobs”.

I was absolutely horrified, and couldn’t do nothing else than put um my middle finger. He did the same with both of his hands, called me a “fucking asshole” and started roaring to the sky, “All women are whores!”

The memory still bothered me; even after all these years, I still hear his voice. I still hear him even in my dreams.

It’s so weird, only a silly little comment about my boobs and I completely flew over the cuckoo’s nest; I have been in a mental hospital three times and have attempted suicide.

I think the reason is that I have been troubled a lot in my life, so to say, the seed of the mental illness I suffer from had been planted at me at a early age and the harassment made it bloom.

That’s why I fight the good fight. I’m a one woman army, and I will NOT give up!

– Miia Ylitalo

Location: Vantaa, Finland

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