It's your fault you got raped, harassed, and assaulted...

After reading Valenti's chapter on The Blame (And Shame) Game it really opened my eyes to alarming facts about rape. It confused me on why the victim, us women, are being blamed for actions taken out on us? The "'rape schedule" is so true!! You don't think these things would ever happen to you and don't think about things like this until it's brought up. Every night from school while walking to my car I make sure I'm on the phone and have my pepper spray (which is on my key chain) in my hand and I am constantly checking behind me as I'm walking. This is simple, it's a fear of rape and it's my biggest fear. I think it's sad that us women have to take precautions like this everyday and any given time. We can't ever believe that we're in a safe environment and always have to be on look out. Not only do we need to be constantly aware of our surroundings but we're not allowed to wear certain things?! No skirts allowed because then you'll look like a slut who wants to have sex. This is insane to me and so disturbing. It feels like as a women we're not 'allowed' to do anything. It's pretty insulting thinking about everything Valenti explains under "she should have known better," pretty much saying we women should not be out doing anything because no matter what we do we're going to be blamed.

Here's my 'favorite street-harassment' story. One day, I was either in 8th or 9th grade walking home from school (which I NEVER did) and here comes a guy on a bike harassing me asking me if I've ever had sex and if I wanted to know what it feels like. Mind you, we're in broad day light. I was scared out of my mind!! Thank God a cop drove pass and he just sped off on his bike.