I recently had a very unpleasant situation that got stuck in my head and made me think… I was in Bar on a casual Thursday night, celebrating my last written exam of the semester. A guy came over to our table, intending to light a cigarette (clearly not sober). I told him that it was probably not a good idea (since it is forbidden to smoke inside) and that I would accompany him out for a smoke. My intention was to avoid trouble and to get him away from my friends at the table. Since I wanted to smoke anyway, I thought, that was the easiest way out. Still I tried to keep the conversation as minimal as possible. He introduced me to his girlfriend (who was with him and seemed all sober). We talked together for a bit and we smoked and he started joking with me. I didn’t feel like joking with a drunken guy so I sought to finish my cigarette and leave. He tried to convince me to stay, started hugging me on the street although I told him to leave it. He took my cigarette out of my mouth, which I didn’t want back after that, and continued smoking it. I told him that it had been rude and that I have had enough and that I was going to leave now. He grabbed my arm and didn’t want to let me go. Then, he hugged me again and kissed me on the cheek, even tried to kiss my mouth. I could barely keep him off me… His girlfriend tried to pull him away. He said he would “rape my fucking ass” if I wouldn’t come with him. Well… I was perplex and couldn’t even say anything but was happy to be able to leave… I never had been sexually assaulted or herassed before. This is, surely because I am a guy…! It left me thinking how it must be to deal with situations like that as a woman. Being stared at, groped, catcalled or whatever. It almost makes me vomit..I felt so weak, unable to react and completely overwhelmed. I used to think that woman need to protect themselves from these kind of people and that, sadly as it is, that it is “normal”…especially if alcohol is involved. Well, I changed my mind. It should not be normal at all. It should be normal to just be and do whatever you want. It is those invasive people that need to change their behaviour! But they won’t change, unless every single one of us stands up against sexisim, racism, homophobia, etc.! I have heard people say: “Things like that happen when people get drunk” and “you need to be prepared for that”… Well, I wasn’t prepared and I think it is nothing anyone should ever need to be prepared for…! Because for me it was one of the most humiliating feelings I could imagine…