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Hi, Sexy… MASHALLAH… Oyee Hoyeee… Kahan chali…

These are just some of the many comments directed towards women as they walk along the street. These catcalls, along with the countless wolf-whistles, stares, and winks that almost every woman received, are all instances of sexual objectification. Objectification occurs when individuals – typically women – are reduced to their body parts. They come to be valued and praised more for how they look rather than who they are as a person.

A recent study estimates that 84% of the women first experience street harassment before the age of 17. About 87% of the women experience sexual harassment in their lifetimes, with harassment ranging from catcalling and wolf-whistling to more severe forms such as groping and stalking. We all agree that such experiences are commonplace in women’s lives, do they actually matter?

Some people have argued that such behaviors are harmless, and intended to be complimentary more than critical, but the result of studies and practical research completely differs. It has been proved that a victim woman facing this daily basis harassment is unable to build self-confidence and is associated with poor mental health. This “casual harassment” not only confined to catcalling or gazing but it also includes body shaming.

The point of this whole write up is not only to raise my voice on this societal issue but the question is what we do about it as a society? How many of you think about this very common harassment or maybe some of you even did it to many girls.

Isn’t the time to please stop this nonsense? I wonder people even didn’t bother to take any action against it although they saw a girl suffering in front of their eyes. How many of you actually took courage to take a step forward to stop this freaking insane behavior? You better know the answer..!

We need to actively challenge these instances if we want women to be recognized as “somebodies” rather than “something”.