Speak Out on Violence: DORIS KASOTE
LIFE is nor bed of roses but some thorns are too much to bear. No one has a flawless life but it depends how much flaws one can tolerate from a friend, a workmate or even a spouse.
Stories of women being victims of sexual harassment are an everyday thing. Society has come to accept it as ‘normal’.
Most victims of sexual harassment do not report the crime because they feel no one will believe them.
I know of a man who was sexually harassed by his female boss.
He was put in a very uncomfortable position but he had no one to talk to.
The female boss initially started by passing compliments whenever he reported for work. It was normal to him until she began to give him stares that made him uncomfortable.
The compliments followed by her touching the young man inappropriately.
He had to face her every day because she was his immediate supervisor.
The man could not wiggle his way out of it. His thoughts were that if he reports the matter to the superiors, it would be her word against his.
He also feared to lose his job especially that he was only three years in his marriage and expecting his first child.
The woman asked that the two have lunch. The next was dinner, he went along with it. She promised to recommend that he be promoted.
When she began to make suggestions that they become intimate, his conscience could not allow him. His friends made fun of him, saying how dull he was to miss an opportunity to be a high flier.
As I said earlier, sexual harassment is among us, sometimes, we may not be the victims but we watch as other people are victimised yet we turn a blind eye.
Some have argued that those who are sexually harassed bring it upon themselves, I totally disagree with such statements. Others claim some women are sexually harassed because of the manner in which they dress, that I also disagree with. Where is the liberty to wear what one is comfortable in?
It’s time to move away from justifying sexual harassment but condemn it because victims live in an uncomfortable space at the hands of their perpetrators who they are usually in contact with often times than not.
Until next week,
Let’s keep in touch,
dkasote@daily-mail.co.zm