LIKE many women around the world, too often women of Bathurst are the victim of sexual objectification, from catcalls in the street to unwanted physical familiarity such as patting, slapping, pinching or groping.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It’s time for men and women to realise that without her consent, such actions are unacceptable at best, in many cases illegal, and sexual assault at worst.
If people persist in engaging in this kind of inappropriate conduct there is every possibility that the person harassed will be offended, humiliated or intimidated. And their victim should not be casually told this is no longer a live issue (it is) or to “lighten up” or that she is “overreacting”. She is not.
And the law is on her side.
The federal and state Sex Discrimination laws are far from front page news, having been enacted 30-odd years ago. Both men and women need to understand that sexism and discrimination are unacceptable and if matters are to improve, they must be talked about openly and honestly.
Dr Brené Brown is a US researcher who has spent the past 13 years studying vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame. Brené’s 2010 TEDx Houston talk, The Power of Vulnerability, is one of the top five most-viewed TED talks in the world.
In this context, shame means feelings of worthlessness, of not deserving. Women who are the subject of unwanted touching and verbal and physical harassment are more often than not left reeling under the strain of the shame and humiliation caused by the violation, instead of the perpetrator, who is the rightful owner of the shame.
Lack of awareness often makes women as naïve about the law as men.
Intimidating nightclub behaviour, including leering and groping “after a drink or two too many”, is often passed off as the offending perpetrator just “being in too good spirits” or “just having a joke”. It is no joke to the victim.
And nor is it anything but frightening to be female bar staff in a nightclub and find you have been followed and are being cornered by an overly keen customer while everyone else is too smashed to notice.
Nor is it any fun to be a young, newly appointed specialist dentist, doctor or vet with years of arduous study and experience under her belt attending her first team meeting only to be referred to by one unevolved male colleague as “that new girl”.
Children’s complaints about unwanted touching were, for time immemorial, brushed under the carpet by denying relatives and friends, bosses and co-workers, the end product of which is – tragically - the Royal Commission into Child Abuse.
Women’s complaints are too often written off as she being “too touchy”, or worse still, are met with demeaning comments impugning her rationality.
It is all part of the same continuum of unhelpful and unlawful behaviours that, when it goes ignored for way too long, lowers the community’s morale, makes it difficult for women to take their place in the community as equals, and wreaks havoc on the emotional wellbeing and dignity of women as well as demoralises right-thinking men who wish to see their daughters progress in life without fear of discrimination and harassment.
Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less: Susan B. Anthony.