I couldn't quite believe this. As reported in a national daily newspaper, there is a young lady aged 23, living in Worcester, who has reported workers at a building site to the Police, for sexual harassment. What did they do to cause her so much distress? They wolf whistled at her. She recorded it on her phone, one solitary whistle. She said it made her walk to work an awful experience. Really. The Police have investigated the complaint and took no further action.
She is a very attractive young lady, going by the selfies she has posted, ample bosom on display, eyes wide open and heavily made up, and that silly pout that is so popular these days. The article is here.
When I was her age I was as pleased as punch to get whistled at, I would still like to get a whistle now, but sadly that doesn't happen any more. Mind you, when I was on a long walk last year, a cyclist passed me walking through a village. He wobbled a bit when he turned round and shouted, 'Nice legs'. I was chuffed to little mintballs.
Wolf whistles? A harmless bit of fun as far as I'm concerned. I wonder where that building site is? If anyone wants to practice wolf whistling, this is how you do it.
Toodle pip
Stormy weather
1 hour ago
I can understand if she was groped(I was as a teen on a crowed London tube train and then followed on a train and bus inappropriately or anything!
ReplyDeleteAs my dear sainted mother said, "If you don't want to be treated that way; don't look the part." Always worked for me!
ReplyDeletewell said Judy
DeleteYour mother was wise.
DeleteHere's another saying, consider it's from the West :):
"If you look like a 'ho' plan to get in the sh_t.
She should be able to dress how she likes without being objectified by men. One day we will reach equality, but I'm afraid many of our generation will never quite grasp the concept.
DeletePhoebe
Your thatch the attitude of your mother is sad . A woman and a man should be able to wear what they want without being objectified and harassed
DeleteGuys, the sad reality is that we are judged by the way we dress, walk, act and what falls out of our mouths from the day we are born. Plenty of psychological/sociological studies to bear this point out.
DeleteHumans are part of the animal kingdom. Whether most of us like it or not, we humans, operate something like 90% of the time off basic instincts. I haven't seen any male of any species who didn't want to reproduce and the male has to wait until the female gives off signals that SHE is ready to reproduce. In humans, it is body language and the way the female adorns her body. I would love for it to be different but it is not.
Wolf whistles are fine. There is lots of other behaviour that people should be more worried about. Natalie
ReplyDeleteI'm so very glad the police have shown common sense!
ReplyDeleteThe last time that I got a wolf whistle, I waved, dropped a little curtsy and said "thank you muchly" That brought a few more and some laughs.
ReplyDeletebrilliant Pam :)
DeleteAh those were the days, I was pleased as punch when I got a wolf whistle.
ReplyDeleteSadly many years I heard one directed my way, I think the last time was when I was pushing my then two year old son, (he is 36 now), up a steep hill in Congleton. Huffing and puffing. It quite made my day.
Makes you wonder about folks doesn’t it, if they cannot take a little harmless appreciation.
Pam in TX.xx
If you put all your goods on display, you can expect comments and more!
ReplyDeleteWhat a drama queen. Silly women like this really piss me off big style. I expect she'll want therapy for post traumatic stress next. Kristel
ReplyDelete*rolls eyes*
ReplyDeleteJane x
Wish I could still get a wolf whistle. I think I've got a leather skirt and black lace tights about the place - if they haven't gone mouldy!!! Silly girl. I bet she wouldn't like it if they took no notice of her whatsoever. Ann x
ReplyDeleteNever ceases to amaze, some women take so much time over their appearance and dress, presumably yo appear attractive to men, then complain when they get complimented.
ReplyDeleteShe's probably hoping to claim compensation like everyone seems to be doing thesedays.
ReplyDeletePut on your very sexiest outfit and see if you can get the wolf whistle, Ilona....might just make your day!
ReplyDeleteI think it's called wasting police time in this instance.
ReplyDeleteArilx
actually after reading the article i kind of agree with her if that's what went on, it wasn't just the odd wolf whistling, it was constant daily whistling and sexist comments and then they stood in her way on the pavement and got in her personal space, after she ignored them. This wouldn't be stood for in the workplace or if you were walking in the high street, so why is this acceptable. they odd wolf whistle maybe but not this. Julie T
ReplyDeleteI find it uncomfortable to be whistled at or leered at and it isn't only wearing a sexy outfit or being young that attracts it. Many times (not all), men simply treat women as objects and it isn't a good thing in my opinion. The police don't have to be involved, but it would help if men would consider those women they are whistling at are oftentimes uncomfortable - they are sisters, mothers, children.
ReplyDeleteI too don't think women, or men, need cat calls and whistles. I would have probably called the company and make a business stink rather than police issue.
DeleteWhen I was a teen, I'd walk by building sites and get whistled at and think and sometimes shout `sexist pigs!!' now I'm knocking on a bit I walk by building sites and get ignored and think `sexist pigs!' ha ha :)
ReplyDeleteI must say working as a young woman in a company with a warehouse full of pervs, I soon leaned how to give as much verbal abuse back as I received, they soon stopped shouting lewd things at me. I also used to colour in the rude bits on their naked calendars when they weren't around during the lunch break. That sort of crap has no place in the workplace.
Twiggy x
Hi.Another controversial topic,Ilona,tee-hee,with many varied comments.Is the girl being hyper-sensitive to some harmless fun and flattery ?Is she really being and feeling harassed and persecuted while in a public place and entitled to walk to work unimpeded.If she dresses in a certain way should she just expect this steretypical male behaviour because she is perceived as inviting it?Is she really being silly and wasting police time and drawing attention to herself in a neurotic way?All interesting questions.My experience working with men taught me to laugh, be a good sport, but also be assertive and draw a line in the sand that says step no further.Out in public a wolf whistle and cat-call could be demeaning or could be ego boosting in a loopy kind of way.I think instinct and intuition plays a huge part in women knowing that difference.Every situation is different.However, sometimes we just need to lighten up and take things in stride and accept that guys in a group can be morons especially when showing off,and are rarely politically correct and sensitive.Also they do not equate the "object"of their attention as a mother, daughter,sister,loved one.That would be too deep for them in that frame of reference and would not compute,they are behaving like big boys,IMO not as evolved men or gentlemen.(do they even exist anymore?)Bye for now,D.
ReplyDeleteAgree she has overreacted , but it highlighted again the sexism and attitudes of some men
ReplyDeleteAct like a lady, dress like a lady and you'll be treated like a lady.
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't always happen. As a 16 year old in my first job I dressed appropriately and behaved appropriately. It didn't stop a 23 year old male making salacious comments and groping me. That sort of behaviour is often to do with a male exerting power over a female, and has nothing to do with how she looks or what she is wearing. That is why frail, very elderly women are victims of rape, and not just those who some people deem to be ' asking for it' because they are young, attractive and happen to be wearing a short skirt.
DeleteI have been trying so hard to do those types of whistles shown in the video. I am a yard supervisor at an elementary school and if I could do different whistles I could get the student's attention. So far nothing but air coming out of my mouth. :( Bev in Calif.
ReplyDeleteMy two cents: I've always hated being whistled at, leered at, commented upon, as I walked down the street. Always. I didn't consider it a compliment when I was a young girl and I certainly don't consider it a compliment now. To me, it's rude, obnoxious and sometimes downright threatening.
ReplyDeleteYou're walking along the street on a sunny day, wearing a pretty dress, off to meet a friend for lunch and feeling good. A man cycles past and whistles at you and you inwardly smile. Yes, I'm feeling good.
ReplyDeleteYou're on the commute to work, head down, rushing for a bus and minding your own business when a group of builders start shouting. You ignore it and carry on to the bus stop. This continues day in and day out. Sometimes you're feeling crap from a poor night's sleep, you've got terrible period pains, your skin is looking awful or you've had to wear yesterday's blouse again as the alarm didn't go off and you're late. Still the cat calls continue. You realise its got nothing to do with how you look. Its simply a large group of men picking on a lone woman, determined to get a reaction.
You continue to walk past them and, when you still don't acknowledge their whistles they take it in turns to stand on the pavement and block your way. What next? Will they start groping you? Will they drag you off into an alleyway and teach you a lesson for ignoring their calls for so long?
Is Poppy the idiot for complaining to the police for feeling intimidated by these men or are we the idiots for normalising and accepting the way groups of men treat women for centuries?
I'm horrified by some of the comments - criticising the way the young lady dresses and blaming that for the men's behaviour.
When I was in my early twenties I was walking to work, a man grabbed me by the throat from behind, put his hand up my skirt and told me that next time he saw me he'd rape me. When I told the police the first thing they said was that I was an attractive young lady and asked what i was wearing. Have attitudes still not changed over a quarter of a century later?
Women have the right to dress how the like and go about their day to day life freely without fear of intimidation, sexual assault or rape. Do men who work out at the gym and chose to wear tight fitting tee shirts and muscle vests have to worry?
Well said Vix - I read the article yesterday and it was 'a wolf whistle' - it was days of catcalling and harassment.
ReplyDelete