This was posted over at the stories site, but I thought it’s another one that should be highlighted.
Here is the story:
Cara, Arizona
One day in 5th grade there was a new student who immediately he took interest in me. He always flirted with one of my classmates and I. One day after lunch he spanked me.
I tried to ignore him although it did not work. It continued for the rest of the year, but not that serious.
On day in the 6th grade, a friend of mine and I were walking when he came up to me suddenly and grabbed my breast. Then he quickly ran away screaming, “I’m finally a man!”
The next day, he told his friends about it, and they didn’t believe him. So, he did it again!
Then everyone knew about it, and I was automatically branded the “school whore.”
It was so bad, I had to transfer to the only other school. No one knew about the things that happened to me, and I wasn’t popular like at my old school. But at this new place, at least I was free from sexual harassment.
This scenario is a good example of how the seeds of the abuse of women are sown early and are socially enforced.
This kid has been taught that molesting girls makes him a man. But of course, it is not enough that he groped her. He had to be sure all the guys KNEW that he groped her.
What is worse, she gets branded for it, and is run out of her own school. Where were the teachers here??!!
I think this is one of the most disturbing stories I’ve heard here, not because it’s the worst abuse I’ve heard of, but because of the mentality it illustrates.
We have a long long way to go yet before we can really call ourselves “civilized.”
I received this story today, and it will be published over at the stories area. But I want to put it here,too, as it well follows this topic.
Submitted from Lian
“I am 12 years old and am in 7th grade. In one of my classes, I met this guy. He is 2 years older then me, 14. His name is “James”.
The thing with James is that he is kind of a “man slut”. I’m sorry to use a vulgar term, but it’s true. I heard that he goes through girls very quickly and there was a rumor going around that he had sex with a girl in my grade. But never did I think that he would ever like me that way. (I didn’t have very good self esteem.)
But, about a year ago, everyday in class, he sits next to me and touchs me. EVERYWHERE. I’m not going to go into any specifics, but now I am known all around school as a whore because I let him do it. I don’t know why I dis, but it always happened so fast and I never knew what to do. He followed me after school and tried to kiss me against my will and things like that. I didn’t think that James was terribly bad until about a month ago. I just though, “Boy’s will be boys!”
He, in front of the whole class, stuck his hand down my pants. It was soooo humiliating. I felt so mad. I slapped him and got in so much trouble. I got suspended from school! I know that that wasn’t the best way to handle the situation, but I think I did all right. James doesn’t bother me anymore.”
She slaps the much older boy who has put his hands down her pants, and she is the one suspended for it.
I am going to go throw up now.
Comment by Jennifer — April 14, 2009 @ 12:04 pm
That’s the sadness in these things that the victim is revictimize by society. Why is she the whore because he touched her breast by force? Victim blaming is quite a phenomenon. I understand women’s motivation in blaming the victim. They want to feel it can’t happen to them and hope to avoid becoming a target themselves. But what about these men or boys? Do they really feel so inferior?
Comment by Ana — June 28, 2009 @ 11:37 pm