Women can gain strength by being united

BEING a woman in today’s society means fear, it means pulling your skirt down while walking past a group of men just in case, it means wearing baggy clothes and jackets to cover up so you don’t feel like a piece of meat being stared and whistled at.

It means looking over your shoulder walking home, or ringing a friend because you’re scared that that man in the dark hoodie is following you, it’s the dread of going out or meeting somebody new and going home ashamed and afraid sitting in the shower so hot it burns through to get rid of thought and feeling of the ordeal you’ve just been forced to go through.

It’s beating yourself up and blaming yourself because your scream or push was not enough. It means not reporting that crime in the belief you’ll be thrown on the stand with a lawyer ripping you to shreds telling you it’s all a lie.

Being a woman means dealing with the worst and still fighting to be as strong as we can, never giving up and having hope it gets better one day.

Being a woman means power, strength and being forever unbeatable.

We go through so many traumatising ordeals and, even though we never forget, although we’d honestly want to be able to, we never give up.

Deep down there will always be a fear for ourselves, our sisters, daughters, nieces and mothers, but while the world stays silent on this matter fear will grow and our lives will decline.

Rape is real and, while we cower away from the subject, we should be uniting and creating a safe space for women who don’t know who to talk to or go to, normalise talking about it and feeling incredibly brave you’re still going and fighting every day to survive. Believe me, you’re so strong.

If you want to tell me your story, email me at fightingfear20@gmail.com, we will go through it together. You’ll never be alone.