Minor

ella rose

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when I was 13, I was in town buying Christmas presents for my friend. I had had a bad day and was listening to music on an escalator in the middle of the shops when a man who looked like he was high or drunk, at least the age of my grandpa, wearing a green and white scarf and a grey jacket, looked me up and down, with a really creepy grin, and told me I had nice legs. I was in my school uniform. I just smiled because at first I didn’t clock it. Then I realised. The worst part is he did it twice. And people heard. And didn’t do anything and I was a child and clearly uncomfy and they all heard and at the second time another man walked right by us and heard it, looked round shocked, but didn’t do anything and now i’m so mad and sad even though it’s just a little thing and it’s been a year later because I was so scared and no one helped me and I thought I was fine about it but I’m not sure. Because it’s not fair and I don’t know how to be angry about it. That’s not even the first time something like this happened and it still feels awful and I’m not over it even though it’s a small thing. He just could have been my grandfather. Thank you for reading this, you are loved, stay safe out there x

ellarose

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when I was 13, I was in town buying Christmas presents for my friend. I had had a bad day and was listening to music on an escalator in the middle of the shops when a man who looked like he was high or drunk, at least the age of my grandpa, wearing a green and white scarf and a grey jacket, looked me up and down, with a really creepy grin, and told me I had nice legs. I was in my school uniform. I just smiled because at first I didn’t clock it. Then I realised. The worst part is he did it twice. And people heard. And didn’t do anything and I was a child and clearly uncomfy and they all heard and at the second time another man walked right by us and heard it, looked round shocked, but didn’t do anything and now i’m so mad and sad even though it’s just a little thing and it’s been a year later because I was so scared and no one helped me and I thought I was fine about it but I’m not sure. Because it’s not fair and I don’t know how to be angry about it. That’s not even the first time something like this happened and it still feels awful and I’m not over it even though it’s a small thing. He just could have been my grandfather. Thank you for reading this, you are loved, stay safe out there x

Julia

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I was in seventh grade, and my class had a substitute teacher. During silent reading, our teacher would pick three or four random names out of a container to sit on the comfy chairs in the back (some armchairs). My name was picked and I stood up to sit down to read in the back of the room. While I stood up, the substitute teacher made a remark in front of the whole class that I only got picked because I was pretty (and other stuff about my body). I felt ashamed, embarrassed, and uncomfortable, not only because a 50-60 year old man said this to a teenager girl, but also because everyone in my class turned to stare at me while he was speaking, and I felt the weight of their eyes on me and my body. Luckily, I never saw the substitute teacher again, but for the next few months I was terrified that I would be put in a class with him. This incident made me feel so humiliated and self conscious that for years I tried to block out what he said and felt pain when I remembered it. Please speak up if something like this happens to someone you know. No one in my class did.

…

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I was 8. We were having a family dinner at my grandfather’s home, and a family friend had been invited. He brought his son with him. He was 16. While all adults were talking on the dining room, he got me into my cousin’s dormitory and, using the pretext of a tickling game, touched me all over my legs and my crotch. He also told me I could touch him, but I didn’t cause even then in my innocence I noticed something wrong was happening. I didn’t realise I had been sexually assaulted until many years afterwards. And sometimes I can’t help but think it was partially my fault, or that I can’t complain about it, for not resisting harder or for not telling my parents right away. Now I don’t even think I will ever tell them, for I don’t want them to feel guilty over it.

Franco

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I’m currently 16. My first ever cat call was when i was 11 and i was walking on the street to a book store with my father. A truck full of men whistled and hooted at me as we walked. In malls, more often than not, I was catcalled the most when i was 15. From an array of men whistling or trying to hide it, I remember every single instance.

Hailey M.

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I’m 16 and I live an hour or two out of Chicago, in a small town. One day in September I stopped in a gas station with my boyfriend, and a couple of older men whistled and stared at me from their pickup truck as I waited for my tank to fill up. I thought it was because I was wearing yoga pants. My boyfriend did nothing, and I drove off in uncomfortable silence.

Arianna

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On election day in 2018, since I’m under 25 I could only vote for the Chamber of Deputies I was asked which chamber (the word in my language is the same as that for room) I would’ve liked, if I’d like the kitchen maybe… One cannot even vote in peace in 2018.

Alyssa

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I was out with my friend at a restaurant. We had just finished eating and were hanging out (loitering, I suppose) out on the sidewalk, just making idle conversation. This man standing about 20 feet away is clearly intoxicated. He is on his phone and having the loudest conversation that my friend and I were oblivious to until we hear him say “You would not BELIEVE the women here right now.” Whatever conversation we were having dissipated as we turned to him, and this gut feeling washed over me. Oh no, here we go. He get’s louder. “OH man, this girl is just so sexy!” I drop my jaw and worked up the nerve to call him out. “EXCUSE ME.” I said. He looked to me like a predator, and I felt adrenaline pumping through my veins. “Are you talking about my friend here?” I asked with every bit of venom I could muster. I felt white hot rage and not even for myself, but for my friend who was standing there, completely shocked. “No sweetie, I’m talking about you,” he coos. He goes on with some bullshit but my friend speaks up saying, I shit you not, the best part. Because to this 40 year old, publicly intoxicated man, she shouts out “SHE’S SIXTEEN YEARS OLD.” A moment of silence, and then my dad, who we were waiting on, finally exited the restaurant. Hook about 3 seconds to assess the situation, went from white to purple, and lost it. Followed by my mom. Oh man, that guy got fucking shredded. I’m just so thankful I had a friend and she had me and we had my bad ass parents. That’s one of my many stories of men making a fool of themselves.

Ng

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I was 17 and took my 1st job. I started work as a telemarketer at an alarm company. Probably on my 2nd evening there, as we all left for the night, my 27 yr. old “boss” asked me to stay behind and chat for a while. We were completely alone. Throughout our lovely conversation, he asked me to come out with him and his friends down to Atlantic City& stay in the hotel with them. I thought this to be odd, as I was only 17,I wasn’t sure what the hell I could actually do there. No drinking or gambling for me. He then went on to ask me what kind of reputation I had at my high school. Was I ” a good girl” or a “slut who slept around with all the guys”. I recall feeling oddly uncomfortable, and wishing I could run out of that desolate office and out to my car. I thought about how I could get outside should I need to run and escape for my safety. Somehow the conversation ended and I was able to leave without incident. I went home to find my boyfriend and friends at my house waiting for me. I recall feeling embarrassed, as though what I had just encountered was brought on by something I had done. All I said to them all was “I think my boss likes me” and i sort of laughed it off. As a mom now to 3 young daughters, I am frightened by the entire incident. How could I have downplayed it all. Did I really think that this guy just “liked” me. He was 10 years my senior, I wasn’t even a legal adult… and as my boss, I thought this type of conversation was normal?! I never told my parents. Somewhere deep down I knew this was not right. I somehow thought I did something to bring on that type of behavior. I was smart enough to quit a few days later. However I was dumb enough to not call this jerk out on his sexual harassment.

Anonymous

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For the 2nd time in 2 weeks, I heard a neighbor discuss the attire of a 14 yr. old girls dress at our local town fair. The 1st comment, from a 39 yr old man, was that she was in the shortest shorts and stomach baring top. She had a broken ankle, and the cast went from ankle to mid thigh. He commented he couldn’t get over that her mother let her out like that. My only question to him after he described the length of her shorts and barness of her tank top.. “wow. Was it hot out? ” That particular week it was consistently over 90° each day. Today, a mom in the neighborhood mentioned how she saw the girl at the fair and said she was wearing a “hoochie momma top”. Why must we sexualize the way a 14 yr old dresses? She’s stick thin with no curves…basically built like a boy of her age. could you imagine she actually had some breasts and butt and other womanly curves? She’d be chastised even more so.