Buses and Molestation

Molestation, a topic so sensitive that I never thought I'd ever touch this to write about. However, this day came when I faced it and I think the world should know how unexpectedly unsafe this world is for women. You know how we always talk about how horny these young men get due to their age so they attack defenseless women. 

Well, a man older than my father snuck his fingers to grope my thighs on a public bus today. Now, do we blame porn? age? social security? my outfit? cause I was wearing a jacket and full pants. He was so small and fragile that I could've ripped his arms off. 

At first, I thought he was trying to steal from me because I had a Rubik's cube in my jacket pocket. So he might've thought it was a purse so I took it out and faked solving it. He looked like a laborer so I wasn't cruel because poverty is a major problem in our country. 

However, my anxiety was correct. He was trying to touch me through his fingers so I boldly told him to sit in front and he did. When the next bus stop arrived, he ran like a criminal. The thing is, I'm not scared for myself. I can protect myself and as I said before, I could've ripped his arms off. 

But what about other women? What if a strong man attacks me or someone else? Even though he was old and small, the sense of danger and discomfort I felt was extreme. I have a little sister and someday I might even have a daughter. Do I teach them to hate men? Because I have a gentlemanly father, uncles, brothers, and friends.

I faced it today on a bus but there's a whole world out there and I'm scared for my women. We have so many limitations and yet this is what we get? An unsafe world? A place where we can not ride a bus without having to carry pepper spray, needles, and lighters; where an old man touches young women just because he can; where women's safety is ignored.

We're not allowed to have fun or go places that we know are 'safe.' But this was when I was off to college, on a bus, in the morning, so where exactly do you think is 'safe.' Define 'safe' for me, please.  

I tried not to be a feminist but I'm seriously scared for my sisters, mothers, and daughters. I won't accept this unsafe society for my women and neither should you.