“You broke this plate.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Now say sorry to it.”

“Sorry.”

“Is it fixed now?”

“No.”

I’m sorry, but I had to get this of my chest as I am so frustrated with it. The saying above is not my own, I read it on Facebook. But it is oh so ‘now.’ Of course I am referring to the Brock Turner case that is an outrage at the moment. I can’t say it often enough; so much still needs to be changed. Punishment, of course, doesn’t help the victim, but given appropriately hopefully deters future rapes, by the convicted rapist and those that are still out there (and anybody, including judges, who defends or ‘molly-cuddles’ a rapist is, in my opinion, just as guilty). No punishment can ever compare to the damage done to the victim, so we must make sure it never happens again.

It is so sad that women are still not safe in their own home towns. Ask men what they do to stay safe when they have to walk on the streets at night. They may say they keep their hand on their wallet. What do women do to stay safe on the streets at night? Ask them and you get a wash-list of actions. I thought I had mentioned these before, but I can’t find it now, so here they are again, just a few from the top of my head:

• don’t walk alone
• cross the street when somebody walks towards you
• don’t make eye contact
• have keys ready in your hand to strike out
• don’t dress ‘inviting’
• don’t wear high heels
• have your phone in your hand and turned on, preferably in a video skype conversation
• note all the houses that have lights on, so you can knock on their doors in case of trouble
• make sure somebody knows when you left, from where, and when you are due to return home
• walk with confidence, don’t act like a victim
• know how to defend yourself with targeted strikes on your opponent’s body
• carry pepper spray

Like I said, these are just a few that I came up with in the last minute. I don’t think men think about these things when they leave a friends’ place at night.

Another one that is going around on Facebook is:

“She got drunk, what did she expect?!”

“A hangover, she expected a hangover…”

Rape is never excusable and rapist should be punished for their crimes, without prejudice or leniency.

According to Wikipedia “Widespread and systematic rape and sexual slavery can occur during international conflict. These practices are crimes against humanity and war crimes.”

First of all, I don’t think that systematic rape and sexual slavery only occur during international conflict. It happens right here and now, in your own country. Maybe not as open and grand-scaled as in Rwanda, but it sure happens.

Secondly, I think this text should be shortened to “Rape is a crime against humanity.”