“She shouldn’t have been by herself.”
No. No. No.
I read that comment today on a link to a story about 22-year-old Celia Barquin Arozamena who was murdered. The Iowa State student went golfing Monday morning and authorities say she was raped and murdered.
Let me say this loud and clear for the people in the back:
Women should not have to travel in packs.
We should be able to go for a jog.
We should be able to go for a bike ride.
We should be able to play golf.
We should be able to go to a store.
We should be able to walk through a parking lot.
We should be able to walk on a trail.
We should be able to sit on a park bench.
We should be able to kayak.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS ALONE IF WE WANT.
In fact, we should be able to do whatever the heck we want BY OURSELVES without the fear of someone attacking us…without the fear of someone raping us…without the fear of someone murdering us.
It’s not US who need any reminders.
It’s the people who don’t know the word NO…
It’s the people who think they can have whatever they want…
It’s the people who have zero respect for women…
It’s the people who think they are superior…
It’s the people who think women are weaker…
It’s the people who have no soul…
It’s the people who think women are for the taking…
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THE REMINDERS.
So let’s stop blaming women.
It’s not the clothes we wear…
It’s not the time of day we are outside…
It’s not the way we looked at someone…
It’s not whether we’re alone or not…
It’s not whether we drank too much…
It’s not whether you thought we didn’t mean NO…
It’s NOT US.
Point-blank PERIOD.
IT’S NOT US.
**This post originally appeared on Amanda Unfiltered.
