Pedophilia

Matti

Today my friend called me stressed and crying. She was in a cafĂ© and her parents had gone off to buy something and a man started taking pictures of her and her legs. He caught her looking and winked at her. Her parents said that he probably wasn’t because his family came after. As if having a family excuses such behaviour or dismisses the chance of it. My friend was only wearing a denim dress, not revealing but showing her legs on a warm day like everyone else. Why can’t we embrace and celebrate our unique bodies without getting harassed? My friend was distraught and she had no one and the worst part of it is that we are both 12.

Stella

Today as I was walking home I was carrying some leftovers from lunch. As I was walking, a homeless man asked me if I had any food to spare. I gave him some of my food, and as I was giving it to him, he said “You’re very beautiful. Very mature…” While looking somewhere that was not my face. I am 14, and he had to be at least 40.