It’s not always easy to be a teenage girl in today's society. One time I was just strolling down the street in Downtown Clarkston to get to my friends house. A car drove past me in the opposite direction, with it’s headlights glaring at me, but I thought I'd be polite and wave. The next thing I knew the car had turned around, slowly driving next to me. There were around three guys in the car. They rolled down the passenger window and relentlessly hollered in my direction, as if I was a dog. I tried to just ignore it, I tried to call my friend, I even tried to walk faster yet they did not leave. I had no idea what to do. I was only 13... The statements being shouted grew more and more vulgar. I was even told to get in the car. I ran towards my friends house faster than those trying to escape Hurricane Sandy. Once I arrived I proceeded to barge in, immediately locking the door behind me. Her mother looked awfully confused on why I had locked the door... But as soon as I opened my mouth, she understood.

There was this other time when I was at a singing camp. A guy in my small ensemble seemed very nice and I felt comfortable. At the concert that night he sat down right next to me. It became very clear his intentions were much different than mine. It started off innocent, with just his arm around me. Of course I left it there… It was really cold in the concert hall. He got more hands on as the night progressed, resting his rough hand on my thigh repeatedly rubbing it gently. I am not gonna lie, I was actually pretty confused because I totally forgot to shave my legs and there was definitely some stubble going on but he kept going anyways. After the concert we had to wait in a very small, congested hallway to get back into our rooming quarters. Reaching his hand into my front pocket, he pulled me backwards until I felt his pelvic area brush against me. I tried to escape but it was so crowded there was nowhere for me to go. Every time I tried to get away he would physically pull me back, getting more and more “excited” the longer he was against me. He starts kissing my neck.

“Frenchy.. No… Stop..” He kept going. “FRENCHY!!”  I insisted he desist. No luck. Although there was a mob of people, which could not be moving any slower, nobody seemed to be watching what was happening to me.

“Let’s go somewhere we can be alone” he whispers in my ear.

“Frenchy, get your hands off of me right now!” Somehow he did not understand I wanted him to stop. I am really tiny so I weaseled my way through the people and ran up to my dorm room crying. I always talk about being a strong, confident girl. I believe I portray it very well, but in that moment I saw the truth. I am insecure. I just run away when things get rough and it never gets resolved. I am just an object in today’s society.

Once I returned home, I became overly precautious. I never left the house unless it was for school or church. Even when I was at home I locked myself in my room. I didn't want to risk anything, I didn't want to feel that bad about myself ever again. If I did leave my house, I wore sweatpants at all times, which essentially made me walking boy repellant. I know now it doesn't matter what you wear, so you might as well wear what you feel good in, because even if you are in sweatpants… you'll still be “asking for it”.