08/03/2023
Today is one of the most important days a year!
I used to celebrate it differently: from receiving and gifting flowers to sending pads to homeless women. Today I am going to donate funds helping women in Ukraine. And also I decided to write this text about safety.
I lived in St. Petersburg, “the capital of culture” they say, but all my life I was running from guys who abused me in streets: tried to force me into the car, gave slaps on my ass, je**ed off in the underground, no point in listing numerous cat callings and tons of attempts to attack. I now remembered that once guy punched me badly in a subway train when I was in a school or so, but nobody even tried to help me.
I learned how to walk super fast so nobody will be able to follow me home, I learned to smoke so I can attach back with a lit cigarette, I learned to find keys in advance and never take an elevator with anyone.
I live in Krakow for almost 4 years, and I am finally thawing. I feel secure when walking at night alone, I don’t need to check if someone is following me, I even recently started to enter the elevator with unknown guys.
Safety is the most basic right. Most guys (and women from several countries ranked as the Safest Countries in the World) would never understand what it means to hold the keys in your hands far away from your entrance door and help yourself to close the door, so no one can slip inside.
In the International Women's Day I wish safety to all women. Especially women in Ukraine now. And of course girls and women living in abused families, homeless women, imprisoned women. Without this basic need for security we cannot live. It’s not a life when you struggle for your life every minute, hour or day. All beginnings and overthrow start after you feel safe! 🤎
(hugs to all women who have similar stories )
