#MeToo When I was about 15, a man flashed at me while I was walking from the spot my school bus dropped me off to home. That was only a journey of minutes, a couple of hundreds metres. It was day time. It was on in front of my neighbour's front gate. He did that. I froze. He laughed and he left me alone.
I walked home. I dont recall how I was feeling. I recalled I told my mum what had happened. She said, just ignored it. That was it.
The next day, I had to walked home the same way, the same time, by myself again. I must be scared. But, fortunately, the man was not there anymore.
#MeToo When I was learning how to drive, I must be around 16, the male instructor brushed his arm on my breasts more than once. The first time, I thought I was an accident. I never said anything to anyone.
#MeToo When I was 20, I was invited to this man's home after dinner. In my naive thinking, we were not in any romantic relationship, that meant nothing other than talking would happen. I was wrong.
It was hard to describe what happened because I still had not processed it. I think I feel guilty, shamed, like I contributed to it.
Afterwards, I told him, that could never happen again. I said, no, never again. Sadly, that did not stop him. I went to the police. The police asked me, did I struggle, I said no. And, I think I wasn't the 'right' victim. And there was no charges.
Many years later, in the new city where I now live. In or around 2020, the law changed. There was a case where the court found that sexual intercourse did take place but the prosecutor did not establish that the perpetrator knew the complainant did not consent, that is the the prosecutor failed to prove the negative in the perpetrator's mind. After campaign, the law was reformed to require that the perpetrator must obtain positive. Note that the consent can also be withdrawn anytime.
I hope, complainant today will have less to establish. But I am not sure.
