Make calling a cat a punishable crime!
DEAR EDITOR,
Kaieteur News – Calling cats by Merriam-Webster is defined as, “a loud, sexually suggestive call or comment directed at someone in public (such as on the street).” Wikipedia describes sexual harassment as “involving the use of explicit or sexual overtones, including the unwanted or improper promise of rewards exchanging sexual favors.” This is the daily reality of many women walking the streets of Guyana (I’m sure it happens elsewhere too). While this may be complimentary to some, I am in no way comfortable with it or agree with it. For the conservative women, who want to carry out their daily activities and do their jobs, think about how upsetting this is for them. Editor, leave me some space in your newspaper to vent a little and express my utter disgust at what seems like the endless struggle for women.
“Look at you baby!” “Watch a good body!” “I could imagine wha you gat down deh!” “You got a lot of ah ration deh!” “If I were your man! … ”And the list never ends. For the life of me, I can’t understand how some men would think this is flatter for women! Over the years, I have struggled with being uncomfortable venturing out of my home for the sole reason of the comments made by some insensitive men! I do not, in any way, find these comments complimentary! Picture babysitting your own business, walking into the supermarket and being followed so closely that you can literally feel someone breathing down your throat! Occasionally walk towards the bus park and a man walks past you and touches your back! What’s even more shocking is when they gang up on the side of the road and you have to pass them to get to your destination and not one or two but ALL of them start with their “comments , ”Which undoubtedly attracts the attention of others. .
Why not report it? Report to whom? There you are at the junction waiting for transport to take you home and a patrol vehicle turns up at the intersection and is loaded with police, then the patrol vehicle slows down and the occupants, not just civilians but those who took the oath to serve and defend, start making “comments” too! Just to give you an idea of what these “law men” said, “Nice food!” “Watch what is good!” “Look at you baby!” Think if a woman had to go to those exact same policemen to get her protection or file a sexual harassment complaint what would happen.
Some might laugh at this, and I know, because I had the unfortunate experience of having told these experiences to others before and it was probably all, “oh men will be men, ”Or“ maybe they like what they see, ”and even once or twice being told by other men,“ you will have to learn to deal with it. ”Why should I have to deal with it if some do not know how to behave? When would women be allowed to walk the roads, go about their daily business easily and without having to look over their shoulders? This becomes very embarrassing when you are with your child (ren) and one would think that some men would have the decency to behave around children but this is not the case. This does not stop them; instead, they even drag the child (ren) into their messy behavior causing further embarrassment not only to the women but to their child (ren) as well.
At this point, I’m not sure where to venture and who to venture to. Is there a deficiency in the upbringing of our boys that they cannot be “respectable men?” Do we as a society fail to instill good values in our young people? I’m sure there are many answers to these questions. I call on the relevant authorities to look into legislation that would make the streets of Guyana safer and welcoming for women by issuing fines and penalties to those found guilty of calling cats and sexual harassment.
I welcome the day when it’s not just me but all women and girls can walk the streets peacefully without being considered a “piece of meat”.
Correctly,
I. Ram