Suffering in silence
Molestation: subtle, silent and unspeakable. This is a crime that happens all too often but escapes without a trace. It is a crime where the perpetrator walks away triumphant and unscathed, but leaves the victim with remnants of disgust for her very self. This is a crime that is silenced.
When it happens, most victims allow it to happen. Out of sheer embarrassment and shame, a victim keeps mum while she struggles to ignore and thereafter forget those foul lingering fingers… We wonder why she would simply tolerate, and yet we cannot blame her entirely for not speaking up.
Silence is how a victim of molestation preserves whatever pride that she has left after those excruciating minutes of humiliation and disgrace.
Are you a victim of molestation?
Molestation on the MRT
On June 13th, footage of a molestation case that took place on a public MRT was uploaded onto a Facebook page ‘I don’t like to squeeze on the MRT’. This man, who happened to be sitting beside a lady, tried to cover his atrocities with his right arm while he nudged at her side breast with his left hand.
The poor woman, noticeably aware of the man beside him made no attempts at resisting his lustful hands. Neither did she seem like she wanted to draw any attention to herself that could potentially cause a scene. This is yet another example of a victim of molestation who chooses to stay silent.
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Speak up, take action
Although we have come to understand why a victim of molestation chooses to keep mum, society however should never condone this silence. The sole reason why molestation continues to perpetuate is because women refuse to speak up when they ought to.
And this silence must therefore be indicative of a society that nevertheless remains male dominated, a society where women still opt to be quiet sufferers, giving this perverse lot the green light to take full advantage of helpless mice.
Progress must be made! Let them know, you have the power to speak up. Show them, you will make him keep his hands to himself.
RELATED: Teen commits suicide after being molested by counsellor
Asking for help
You should avoid being the victim of molestation as much as possible. This is what you should do when you are molested in public:
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- If you are uncertain whether someone beside you is sexually harassing you, but may seem like he is attempting at it, gesture towards whatever that he is doing that makes you feel uncomfortable and tell him firmly “Excuse me!”
- If he continues, stand up for yourself and say “No!”
- Draw attention to others, and tell them, “This man is trying to touch me!”
- Get these people to help call the authorities and prevent him from getting away.
- If you are alone and some suspicious creep approaches you, stay as far away from this person as possible. Make a run for it if you have to and call the police (999).
- Violence should be the last resort. Always remember to get help from others instead.
