The Severity Behind Every Street Holla

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

The Severity Behind Every Street Holla (http://madamenoire.com/138409/the-severity-behind-every-street-holla/)


I know I don’t speak for just myself when I say that as women, we spend a lot of our time out on high alert.

As sad as it may seem, there’s always this sickening cognizance and fear of what could happen if you’re not as aware as you should be, if you take a wrong turn, if you walk past the wrong person at the wrong time, hell, if you’re with the wrong person at the wrong time.

As great as it is being a woman, it’s scary too. If more men knew this, I like to think they’d be less inclined to assault us on the street.

[Os Cangaceiros]

As sad as it may seem, there’s always this sickening cognizance and fear of what could happen if you’re not as aware as you should be, if you take a wrong turn, if you walk past the wrong person at the wrong time, hell, if you’re with the wrong person at the wrong time.

^I think that attitude seems to perpetuate myths about rape. Most rapes aren't commited by some unknown individual(s) who make an impulsive decision to rape, on the spot.

[Quail]

^I think that attitude seems to perpetuate myths about rape. Most rapes aren't commited by some unknown individual(s) who make an impulsive decision to rape, on the spot.
I think the way the article is worded does imply that being raped in a dark alley by a stranger is more common than it is, but I think that the point of the article still stands. I can't speak for other women, but I personally do feel quite threatened by men in the street, especially if I'm on my own and it's dark. It's because after so many years of inappropriate comments and people persisting in making me uncomfortable even after I've told them I'm not interested, I kind of expect to be harassed. It does feel threatening when someone fails to respect your personal space, especially when that someone is bigger and stronger than you. If someone doesn't stop doing something relatively minor such as asking for your phone number, then you kind of wonder how far they'd go.