Someone Call Animal Control The Growing Epidemic of Catcalling and Sexual Harassment in the United States By Emilie Hicks
An old man touched my ass in a Home Depot when I was 13. At 14, I was groped in the middle of my high school hallway by a senior. At 15, my church pastor told me to close my legs while wearing jeans because it was “unwomanly.” As the years went by, these incidents haven’t gotten any better. Men have been the catalyst for many of the world’s problems. One of these problems that never goes away is sexual harassment. As a woman, it’s hard to imagine a world without harassment. A world where going on a walk at night is safe, wearing a skirt isn’t “asking for it,” and simply having a vagina doesn’t make you a target. Catcalling is the introductory version of sexual harassment, where you aren’t being physically touched, but the intent to touch, or harm, is there. For some reason, many men think this is acceptable behavior. They think making a woman feel inferior and sexualized is fine. Well, there’s one thing I have to say to that: Men in Cages 2021. Okay, not really. But some men deserve it. Why is their behavior not reprimanded? Why do so many men get away with sexualizing and harassing women? And why do they consider it acceptable in the first place? When asked about her sexual harassment experiences, Millikin 6
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sophomore Elliana Anderson says, “It is scary for me at work to just take out the garbage. I always have to have the camera watching me in case something happens.” This experience is not uncommon. Women are often worried when doing basic tasks because they fear the unsolicited attention from men. Although I would love to give you a quote from a sexual harasser or catcaller, when confronted, the middle-aged man who catcalled me outside of Target had no comment. He simply turned away and tried to pretend nothing happened. Did he finally understand that what he was doing was wrong? Or has he simply never been stood up to before? I suppose we’ll never know. The epidemic of catcalling—and worse—is growing more prevalent in the United States today. A study done by the Girl Scouts of America showed that 1 out of 10 girls will be sexually assaulted before her eleventh birthday. These are young girls being sexualized before they even hit puberty. We must protect the women and girls we care about by stopping the harassers who engage in such disgusting activities. A friend of mine, Helen Miller, says, “I’ve been followed home a few times. It’s pretty scary. Especially when you don’t have anyone to help you.” Her story is felt by women all
over the world, and these stories and experiences strike fear into their hearts. Women are the backbone of society. We run businesses, care for loved ones, make the world a better place, and deal with monthly periods, all while facing harassment from men on a daily basis. We are both creators and the creators of life, and we deserve respect.
. Or has he simply never been stood up to before? I suppose we’ll never know.
