KARACHI: We bet that every woman who has ever occupied a public space has been harassed at some point in her life. Whether it was the ricksha wala who kept staring at you creepily through his rearview mirror, or a random stranger on the street who grazed his hand on your butt, it’s happened way too many times to keep count. And usually women are told to ignore or to look away, because how many men can one woman fight in her lifetime, right?
Wrong. By now, we’re sooooo done with being harassed that we’re ready to keep fighting for as long as it takes.
1. Embarrass them by calling them out in front of others
Ever had to stand next to a creepy man in an elevator filled with people and he won’t stop staring at your breasts? Well, call him out loud enough for everyone to hear it and enjoy watching the harasser melt away in embarrassment.
2. Get physical if they do too
Yes, we’re encouraging the idea of assaulting someone but only if they assault you first and only if you feel somewhat safe (Safety first, girls!). If a man forcefully touches you inappropriately while walking on the streets or in a crowded bus, for instance, take the opportunity to punch back as hard as you can.
3. Stare them down
Cause nothing confuses a harasser other than a good ol’ stare-down
4. Throw water at them to cool them off
Whenever cats get aggressive and pick fights with other cats, throwing water at them is a good way to cool them off. So maybe the harassers needed to be treated like animals on heat because no logical conversation is helping at this point. Keep those water bottles in handy!
5. Call the cops
Because we can and we should
This article is part of a series. Read the previous entry here
