Unheard stories of sexual harassment

Have you been sexually harassed? What age were you when you first faced sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment, an inappropriate, unwelcome, or offensive conduct based on gender, is a sensitive topic, yet unignorable. Almost each and every female has faced sexual harassment in their lifetime. They are not safe inside their own house, let alone outside the house.

In the context of Nepal, according to the crime data against women of the fiscal year 2077/078, rape attempts in Province 1 is 167, Madhes 115, Bagmati 88, Gandaki 56, Lumbini 134, Karnali 46, and Sudurpaschim 89. NepalNews has conversed with a few of the girls who faced sexual harassment, and wrote their stories using pseudonyms.

Aresha Shrestha says, “When I was 15, my boyfriend tried to be physical with me even when I said no. Though I was not raped, he surely took away my belief in love. Likewise, I was 17 when I was sexually assaulted for a second time and it was by my uncle’s friend. He tried to put his fingers inside my pants while I was asleep.”

Similarly, Melija KC says, “I was 15 years old when I went to my aunt's house for a sleepover. I went to my sister's room to sleep, and saw my cousin on the same bed as her. I had to sleep in between my sister and brother since there was no space and my sister was already asleep. Feeling awkward, I lay on the bed and wrapped myself in a blanket.”

“After a while, he started pulling the blanket and then my hand. I tried to push him but his hands were all over me. I finally managed to push him away and stood up. He then grabbed my hand and pulled me again, but I somehow managed to free my hand and ran to the washroom,” she adds.

After going to the washroom, she began to cry. However, she then mustered up some courage to go back to the room and wake her sister up to tell her everything. When she returned to the room, her brother had already gone to another room.

“Next morning, I told my cousin what her brother did last night, but she refused to believe it. She even said that I might have taken it the wrong way and her brother was only joking around”, adding further.

Babita Tamang, when talking about the assaults she faced, says, “At the age of 20, on my way to practicing netball, a man showed me his private part thinking that it was appropriate to do so. And when I was 23, I was there in a club chilling on my own when a guy kissed me without even my permission.”

There are many more similar or inadequate stories which are still unheard and buried inside, thinking that no one would understand or believe them. According to those who have faced these assaults, they ask you to speak for yourself. If you have had been sexually assaulted, then you should talk to the offender or at least tell someone. Keeping quiet is not an answer or option.