#WhenIWas: Why women are openly talking about sexual harassment

Bengaluru, Apr 25: Last week women across the globe started tweeting using the hashtag #WhenIWas. While initially it was unclear what the ladies were posting about such incidents, soon several chilling stories began to emerge.

Thousands of women came together to share their experiences of sexual harassment, sexual discrimination and violence using the hastag.

The hashtag was created by EverydaySexism project aiming to create awareness against sexism and sexual harassment. It called on women to share their first encounter of sexual harassment and how old they were when it first happened.

And the results were not just shocking but appauling to say the least.

Several women recalled their first sexual harassment encounter in schools and colleges but a lot of them came forward and shared their stories when they were as young as 6 or 7.

The stories ranged from friends touching them inappropriately, to being cat-called by strangers to being sexually assaulted by their fathers. There were some courageous men also who recalled what they had done in their youth and why it is wrong.

Here are a few of the hundreds of tweets shared by men and women across the globe:

#whenIwas 12 & in my school uniform a middle aged man grabbed my breasts when he saw I was alone in a shopping centre. @EverydaySexism

— Laujo (@LauJo) April 19, 2016

#WheniWas a child my dad sexually abused me. I got lucky my mum believed and protected me. So many children are not that lucky.

— Chloe King (@GGrucilla) April 19, 2016

#wheniwas 13 my male math teacher told me I didn't need to learn geometry because I already had such good curves.

— OhmyTash (@ohmytasha) April 19, 2016

#WhenIWas 17, I was raped by my first boyfriend. My school found out and tried to expel me.

— Ana Mardoll (@AnaMardoll) April 19, 2016

@EverydaySexism #WhenIwas 7 I was dragged in to the toilets by a group of boys who tried to remove my uniform. Told a teacher. Was ignored.

— Patrice Em (@putchti) April 19, 2016

#WhenIWas 7, I was sexually assaulted by an older boy and my school tried to suspend me for taking it to court

— cail (@caileyisdead) April 19, 2016

#WhenIWas 5, I was sexually assaulted till I was 8, by a close family member. Still overcoming it and trying to be okay.

— Leeah the Spoonie (@POTSiePrincess_) April 19, 2016

#WhenIWas 16 on a school trip I was drugged by a man at a hostel. He attempted to rape me. Police said I was old enough to know better.

— Lydia Hulme (@EllesieBean) April 19, 2016

#WhenIWas fifteen, in my first relationship, I was raped, had my skull bashed in with a trophy, and repeatedly beaten until I puked up blood

— meg (@megannn_lynne) April 25, 2016

OneIndia News