I was in the fifth grade,
On my way to school.
It was 7 in the morning,
And the streets were almost empty.
I looked beside me.
There was a man wearing a jalabiya.
He had lifted the hem,
Exposing his entire body.
When I started walking faster, he called out to me:
“Come here! Don’t be scared!”

One time,
I was walking down the street when someone in a car said,
“I want to *&*%$”.

One time,
I had just left home, when someone on a bike said,
“Damn! Your body is smoking! I want to lay you on your back,
And do push ups against you like there’s no tomorrow.”

One time,
I was going to a private lesson,
And the streetlights were out.
I was just about to turn on my phone’s flashlight,
When I saw someone running towards me.
They grabbed me.
His excuse was that he couldn’t see in the dark and thought I was his friend.
When he went back to his friends,
They high-fived him and kept laughing.
One time,
A man my grandfather’s age said, “I want to suck your nipples!”

One time,
When I was in highschool,
A boy around 8 years old,
Bumped into me and said,
“I like her!”

One time,
When I was in the ninth grade,
A boy around my age,
Who was walking his dog,
Refused to let me pass unless I let him kiss me.
Thank God, though, my friend’s father was passing by, and I walked with him.

One time,
A man my father’s age,
On a bike,
Tried to grab my breasts,
But I was able to get away.
He looked at me and laughed.

One time,
I was walking down the street,
When two boys behind me started catcalling me.
Suddenly, I saw a man with his pants down.
“Suck me,” he told me.
“She’s going to be experienced when she gets married!”
One of the boys said to the other.

One time,
An old man came toward me,
And asked me,
“Hey, what’s the color of your underwear?”

One time,
A teacher told me:
“Damn, your body is toned!”

One time,
Someone told me,
“My wedding is tomorrow.
How about I practice with you?”

One time,
I was in the supermarket,
When I found a hand on my behind.
I looked behind me.
“Sorry, I’m just trying to pass through!” he said.
Even though he had plenty of room.

This is just a small sample of the number of incidents I’ve been through,
And was never able to tell anyone,
Because I would’ve been blamed.

Am I really to blame?
Does a young child in middle school deserve to see an old man’s body?
Does a 12-year-old deserve to hear nasty words?
I can’t think of anything that could’ve tempted them to do this.

If you’re going to blame my choice of clothing,
I don’t wear anything tight.
Most of the time I wear skirts,
And this stuff still happens to me!

What did I do to deserve all this?
For all this to happen during my lifetime?
When I’ve barely just started my freshman year in college?
I have never met or known a man,
Who hasn’t approached women without certain intentions in mind,
Whether through nasty words, or touching her body.
Just so he could feel that he’s a man.

As if girls are sex machines without souls.
They only exist to please them.