Mimmy and Keroleen have been blogging about getting lost in la belle cite, Paris. I’m glad they’re finally getting somewhere with the search for Tabby (wow, more than a month and they haven’t found him - should I make my way there, perhaps?), but I feel bad that Keroleen has been targetted by bad men. In as much as I am into la dolce vita and decadence, I don’t think it’s fair that she’s being chased for her legs. Not that she has bad legs, but for those who don’t know, cooked frog’s legs are especially prized as delicacies in France. Good to know that Keroleen has been doing great so far! Go Keroleen! Show those French men how quick Japanese frogs’ legs are! ^o^/
I’ve also read a blog entry from a friend, and how she was nearly raped on her way home a few nights ago, after the driver of the pedicab she was riding took a detour AND another strange passenger. She’d had to fight so hard and unfortunately doesn’t remember who attacked her. I was shocked that she, who has been a fan of public transportation and who has been living in a fairly quiet neighbourhood all her life, and who has been recently taking kickboxing lessons, had been attacked, and rendered nearly helpless. And then I was very angry that the people in the thoroughfare she managed to find herself in after running away from wherever it was that the pedicab dropped her off in couldn’t care less about her dishevelled, uneasy state.
Rarrr, such apathy and callousness! Shouldn’t we ladies look out for each other? But apparently based on the news accounts I’ve been following and the personal sources I’ve been getting information from, sometimes women themselves help perpetrate crimes against fellow women, like human trafficking, theft and gang rape. They act as lookouts and accomplices, to gain whatever they need from the perpetrators while protecting themselves at the same time. It sickens and infuriates me all at once. How can people be so selfish? Just because it’s not you being victimised today doesn’t guarantee that you won’t be the victim tomorrow!
And men… argh, MEN. It’s things like this which make me lose faith in you more and more, every single day. Time and again, it’s usually the men who think stealing is a better and easier alternative to working hard, the men who think taking advantage of other people gives them huge gains and completely disregard consequences, the men who would rather force their way into women’s hearts and underwear instead of trying to understand them and win them over to their side fair and square.
Ladies, obviously there are very few gentlemen to be found in this world so please, take all the necessary precautions to defend yourselves. Keep everyone at an arm’s length; don’t be too trusting - even friends can become worst enemies overnight, and for all you know they may just be using you as a means to an end. Minimize travel at night, especially when you live in a city and have to pass through a shady, seedy urban area notorious for its crime rates. I know that knowledge of martial arts and self-defense may not always guarantee that one will actually know how to defend herself, but if there’s one thing I know it improves one’s confidence in herself and even hones a discipline that keeps one from panicking should she be in a serious situation. In particular, I know some self-defense schools, like Krav Maga, teach the use of everyday objects for self-defense; try to learn this particular art and talent if you can.
Finally, no matter what happens, don’t surrender! Fight back! Too many people have become complacent and have given up the fight because they are tired and scared. But see, if all of us gave up, no one would fight for us, and the bad guys will have their way. It’s only up to us, through trusting ourselves, our capacities and our convictions, that we can make this world better for us women to live in.
That’s all for now.
~ PusaCat ~
