Grey area
I am
becoming tenderer, more delicate. I admit it. At the same time that I´ve ageing
I´ve losing testosterone and I think a little more in people now. A word I´ve
just learnt is empathy; maybe what I´ve lost from my horlicks I´ve attained in
empathy. Therefore I can´t be impassive about some injustices.
As a
man I have the right to walk at any time of the night and alone on any street
in any city and I can, freely, enter a bar and leave there a little stoned
without anyone seeing it badly. But if I were a woman…
If I
were a young girl I would have a good chance of being approached by a man who
would see me as easy prey.
Julie
Bindel denounces, again and again, the attitude of many officers, jurors,
judges, lawyers and part of the society about sexual assaults. She sees, and I
agree with her, two standards to judge this crime.
As
far as women reporting rape goes, alcohol is the new short skirt. When the
victim has been drinking, it is used against her at the reporting stage, and in
court. But where the defendant has been drinking, it is often used to excuse or
justify his behaviour.
Not
only “our” criminal justice system is rotten. This is a plague that occurs
anywhere —here in Portugal I hear male chauvinist comments every day and in Spain
there are lads who are waiting for verdict because they are alleged in a case
of a gang-rape when San Fermines— and
I suppose there are more examples I don´t know in other countries.
It
is sad that a woman goes to police and the policeman says she was drunk and she
deserves it. Please, get out. This is a
waste of time and next time don´t drink and don´t walk alone.
The
worst is that these women, when they are in the street, feel a sense of deep culpability
and put up with a heavy stigma. That “grey area” is not saying you yes; this “grey area” doesn´t allow to
that silly bugger pounces on a teenager in her first night of new sensations
and freedom.
Wants
Julie Bindel a “feminist revolution” in order to change this misogynistic way
of think. I believe this revolution is on the go but slowly. All of us can
help. Why, instead of men, there are no women in all these strategic posts or
what if a suitability test is prepared for these posts? In these circumstances cannot
be officers without adequate preparation and empathy, neither in courts and
jurors. I know this is difficult, but we could try. Since we tend to a more and
more specialized world, there should be a studied project to end the sexist
prejudice that we suffer.
Anyway,
women like Julie will not stop until they get what anyone wants: be free to say
no!
From
my Borstal.
LDR
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