It's a little past 1a.m. and I'm searching for the keys to my car. I just finished watching some TV with friends at their apartment and now I'm headed home for some z's. I find my keys, open the door to the outside world, and start walking to my car. For some reason my eyes dart to the other side of the street where I see a creepy looking guy staring back at me. He suddenly crosses the street, still making eye contact with me. My first thought immediately is, "he's gonna take my purse." I then have a feeling of bravery and instead of turning around to go back inside, I walk to my car about 30 feet away.
You would think that a person with a lot of worry and fear in this world wouldn't just walk towards a creepy stranger...but somehow my feet kept going. As I'm walking my only thought is, please don't hurt me. How sad. How sad it is that here I am just finishing a good night with friends and I'm worried for my purse being taken away. Not just my purse, but I'm worried for my own life. How sad that someone has to purposefully make me uncomfortable to get some sort of pleasure for themselves.
How sad that in this day and age, I have to be afraid for my life by a man across the street versus something bigger, such as war. And while all the bigger issues going on this world should be playing throughout my head; I am here instead walking fast toward my car so I can safely get home. I think any girl from young to old can relate to this. Just please don't hurt me. Don't take me away from my friends or family. Don't rob me, kidnap me, rape me, kill me. It doesn't matter if they're strung out on drugs and "didn't mean to." Or a little intoxicated and "wasn't thinking like yourself."
I shouldn't have to fear for my life when walking to my car. I shouldn't be so intimidated by a man looking at me. But now a days, women have to constantly be thinking of someone doing the worst. Especially with the big news of Stanford rapist, Brock Turner. An innocent girl, victimized by a man who was only trying to get something for himself. A selfish, disrespectful, piece of trash. And while he spends six months in jail, she'll spend the rest of her life in a mental prison. Shaken up, vulnerable, and wondering...why did you hurt me? I wonder what causes a man to think of physically harming a woman, and god I would love to know the sick way they get happiness from it...but at the end of the day, I won't know. All I know is that I'm a woman in this world thinking, just please don't hurt me.
