Scary of the day

Ahh, high school. (Click for full comic)

Another reason I'm glad to be out of high school.

A report released says that 33% of girls in Toronto high schools have been sexually harassed in the past two years. 33%! 1 in 3!

We tend to breeze by statistics, so let that one sink in. 33%. If you had 3 female friends in high school, 1 of them was sexually harassed.

And worse, 29% have been groped or otherwise touched.

29% of grade 9 girls felt unsafe at school due to comments/ogling/touching, 27% of grade 11 girls were pressured into doing something sexual that they didn't want to, and 7% of girls have experienced "major sexual assault," which I assume means rape plus all those other things we should call rape.

Now, I'm gonna venture a guess and assume that none of you have your shocked faces on.

Which kills me, by the way.

As this article says, and I agree, we've gone ahead and let those numbers be the norm.

I remember one day in high school I was walking up some stairs and a guy (who will remain nameless but those who went to my school may remember someone whose nickname started with Pervert) put his arm in front of me to block my way and proceeded to ogle my chest.

I complained to my friends after, and I was mad, but I did accept it as something that just happens.

But even if I had gone to a teacher/admin, what would have happened? Even if they had gotten the asshole down to the office, I doubt it would be more than a forced apology and me being labeled as a heinous, overreacting bitch with the rumor mill flying. Not worth it.

I'm betting every girl has a story like this. Leave it anonymously in the comments if you wouldn't mind.

So what to do?

Before I posted about calling Kathleen Wynne and demanding women and gender studies in high school on Valentines Day. Well, who cares what day it is. Do it now.

Shit like this is never a few bad apples, misogyny and sexism are systems. And I really do feel that women's studies would empower girls to speak out.

Kathleen Wynne's office: (416) 325-2600
TDD/TTY: 1-800-263-2892
E-mail: info@kathleenwynne.com
Fax: (416)325-2608

If nothing else, please be pissed off.