TICOBULL – In the last couple of days the social has been buzzing with the news of a man “videoing” below the dress of a woman as she walks by in downtown San Jose.
“Acoso Callejero” is the Spanish term for this type of sexual harassment on the streets.
The majority of the comments are against this type of practice, spurred by the lewd actions of middle-aged man and his cellular phone, and asking women to file complaints of this and any type of sexual harassment they are a victim of.
However, some, and unfortunately a growing number, are justifying the actions of the “viejo verde“, the term in Spanish used to describe a “sexual pervert”, and blaming it on women for wearing sexy, skimpy clothing like short skirts and tops with busting cleavage, dresses that fly up in the wind or tight pants.
In this thinking, “women are asking for it” and “what can they expect if they go out in public like that” are some of the comments made by I can only assune are scoundrels, men without the fortitude to be men, to take responsibility for the actions, to behave as a gentleman, at least in public.
To blame a woman for “inciting men to behave this way” because of the way they dress is totally wrong.
In my time in Costa Rica I have seen many women dress in a way that, well, that leaves little to the imagination. But it doesn’t mean that we men have to be disrespectful, gross her out with vulgarities or take out a camera to stick it under her dress.
Women in Costa Rica, or anywhere for that matter, have the right to walk our streets without feeling intimated or harassed by a “garañon” (hormonally imbalanced man).
And to those who insisted on blaming women for their totally inappropriate actions I say, grow up.
I also ask, how would you like if your mother, sister, aunt or cousin or friend is victimized in this way?
I say to you, I can understand the irresistible urge to look, sometimes even make an about-face … but before you act out your immaturity, think twice, think about the last sentence I just wrote and about getting home, and the surprise of being a headline on the television news, front page of the newspapers (the Extra is good at that) or a feature on the social media. And think how you are going to explain this to your children, to your neices.
Article originally appeared at Ticobull.com
