By Eman Osman

Have you ever asked an Arab girl what words she associates with the streets of the Arab countries?

I can tell you that the first thing that will come to her mind is “sexual harassment”. The second association would be “fear”. Those are two things she has to deal with from a very early age.

Every day before I step out of my house, I accept the fact that I WILL get cat-called. I WILL have men stare at me no matter how much I cover up or how “decent” my clothes are.

But the thing that scares me the most is that I know that the worst hasn’t happened to me yet. It’s when you hear stories from your close friends that have had men grab their as**s and say unbearably inappropriate things to them on the same streets you just walked on yesterday, when you really start to think: When will I be next?

And then there are the fathers who joke around with their daughters about a silly comment some guy shouted out to her. And that just makes you wonder if this is what it’s supposed to be like. Am I supposed to laugh when some random guy tells me “You need to be f*cked”? Am I the one who’s just being “too serious” when 99% of Egyptian women have been sexually harassed?(Research from U.N. Women)

It seems that the majority take this topic very lightly, even women. As if it should be acceptable to be violent towards anyone. On some days, it feels like society is just patting those harassers on the back as if pitying them for not being capable to “control themselves”. As if cat-calling and physically harassing strangers is an urge that is difficult to control or an incurable disease that one is born with.

On other days, it feels like society is shoving it all in my face, telling me that I’m asking for it. That I’m making those men stare at me and call me names because I have a pretty face and I’m not covering it up. Because you can clearly tell that I am skinny. Because I am simply female.

In case you are confused by what the actual lesson here is, then let me educate you: There are two things I want to make very clear. First off, I want everyone to acknowledge that every girl has accepted her fate and will live in fear for the rest of her life. The second part is up to you, my dear reader. I want you to understand who the real problem is. I want you to take this as a lesson for yourself: Sexual harassment is not something you should accept. I want you to tell the men on the streets  to pull themselves together instead of telling women not to leave the house.

I want to not live in fear.