A blog reader sheds more light on the sad and unreported cases of sexual harassment ..
Dear Eme, my name is Adeyinka. I witnessed a shameful scene on my way to work on Tuesday, just after Obalende. I needed to confirm the name of the school, hence the delayed post. I will appreciate it if my story is published on your blog.So many years back, I was in the car with my Mum driving. In the slow moving traffic, I saw a commercial bus driver hit the breast of a groundnut hawker who was busy selling in the traffic. The lady ignored him and continued with her sales. As little as I was, I felt a terrible anger flow through me. I was disgusted and wished I could deal with the driver.
After that experience, I have witnessed several forms of harassment on our Lagos roads; directly and indirectly, personally and impersonal.
So on Tuesday, I experienced just the same scenario. Sadly, this time around it was a young secondary school boy harassing another secondary school girl.
I was on a bike after the Obalende bridge; approaching Ikoyi when I saw this school boy on a moving bike hit the breast of a school girl who was trying to cross the road.
I did not believe my eyes! I needed to be sure it was not consensual. Then I noticed immediately the helpless girl crossed the road and felt safe, she rained curses on the boy.
I was disgusted and prayed my bike was able to meet up with the boy's bike. God heard my prayer and his bike was held up in traffic. As soon as I was able to get close I hit him and asked why he harassed the girl; he feigned innocence. Then I warned him never to try it again (knowing my warning wouldn't make a difference, but I needed to express my anger). I wish I had enough time to hand him over to the police so he could be properly dealt with.
Then I remembered that boy's uniform. I had an encounter with some boy on that same uniform the day before.
On Monday, as I walked through the rowdy Obalende, I felt someone hit my bum-bum twice from behind. I looked back in anger and it was a boy on that same uniform. I initially told myself that it should be a mistake since it was just a boy, but I wasn't convinced, so I looked at him angrily a second time. He noticed my anger and apologized. Then on Tuesday, I see another boy on that uniform sexually harass another girl. I couldn't but conclude that my Monday experience was deliberate. I had to get the name of the school. It is (sorry had to remove the name of the school till there's further proof..e.g a picture).
Don't know what the world is turning into! Too many perverts everywhere. They didn't become one over night. They started as these two boys from Ireti Senior Grammar School.
Many times you are on the road and some guys are touching or dragging you, all in the name of selling some stupid wares. It is unacceptable! Or you are in a public vehicle and a guy is sitting in a careless position trying to touch parts of your body. You gently correct him; then he gets defensive, ask you to get your private car and sometimes slut-shames you. Then I wonder, did he expect me to keep my mouth shut while he tries to harass me?
I don't know how this can be stopped. But I pray someday our law makers see reasons to make sexual harassment (even in its little form) a grave and punishable crime.