masturbation

Maggie

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I’m currently travelling in Mexico alone, with the aim of regaining my confidence after a struggle with anxiety and depression during the pandemic. I was walking to the shop this morning and on a quieter street there was a man in the bushes masturbating at passers by. It was disgusting. I felt completely violated and so unsafe that I stayed in my hostel all day. After reporting this to my hostel, they reassured me it is secure yet no further measures were taken. I understand this kind of thing happens often in all countries, but looking the man directly in the eye and seeing the excitement he was getting from my fear made me so angry that this had been normalised in my mind, and clearly the minds of others. Measures must be taken to prevent public street harassment, to prevent women’s confidence being destroyed for a man’s enjoyment.

Finnish Girl

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I, my parents and my older sister were on a few days long trip to Pärnu, a city in Estonia. We live in Finland. It was the summer holiday at the time and I was thirteen years old and my sister was fourteen. There was this beautiful wooden structure (kind of like a tunnel but not underground) that was decorated with flowers and different plants and that had places to sit on it and we decided we should take pictures in front of. I’m really awkward when I get my pictures taken so it only took a few moments for my sister to take my pictures and then we switched places. I took pictures of my sister and while I was doing that I turned and saw there was a man sitting in one of the benches. I noticed he was masturbating and quickly looked away embarrassed and tried to tell my sister we should leave. She saw the man as well and took us to our parents that were sitting outside of the structure. She, the smarter one, told our dad and he went to where the man was and the man ran away before he could do or say anything. He even chased him for a moment.

Anonymous

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I am only in middle school and I did not even know it could happen. During a mock congress meeting at school, the bill authors were talking and this boy sat next to me. He put his hands on his genitals and began masturbating next to me. He kept looking at my breasts and nudging me. I scooted away and he only moved closer. The room was packed with other middle schoolers and we were not allowed to leave so I could not leave. He then ran his hand from and inch under my pencil skirt down my leg and stroked my foot. He began squeezing it and when I looked at him, he grabbed the keychain from my nearby backpack and asked me where I got it. He had asked that question earlier that day. Later, he continued to sit next to me and rub my knee and even caressed my ear. I have to go to school with him.