Stamping Out Harassment – Together We’ll Do It!

“Stamping Out Harassment” was the heading of an email I received from Vince Cable, to all Liberal Democrat Members. I believe he and other party leaders are sincere in what they are saying at the moment but I also know it is throughout life and society that this is going on and not just in Political bubbles!

So why am I choosing to put out a blog today? I attended the launch of the Cornwall Branch of the Womens Equality Party back on 2 September and this post has be going around my head since then! I went to try to convince them not to set up another Political party, in the crowded space of Politics, when we have a broken First Past The Post voting system. I felt that, like the Green party, everything they stood for was good and right and did not conflict with being a Liberal Democrat. However, by the vote being split we will all continue to be represented by people the majority of us don’t believe in.

Then the revelations started of abuse and harassment women have been keeping quiet about involving celebrities and Politicians. More churning around my head. Then my 2 year granddaughter came to stay and this post is for her. What I did at the weekend is for her.

I don’t want my granddaughter to grow up learning the skills to get out of or avoid ‘awkward’ situations. I don’t want her to be told or tell others, watch him because …… I don’t want her to have to put regular awkward and humiliating experiences down to ‘life‘ a bit of ‘banter‘ and what’s more I think the time might be right, if we all stick together, to make this as socially unacceptable as drink driving.

And it is not just women who suffer, a story from a man very recently makes that plain. Although the numbers of men suffering might be fewer it is probably even harder for them to speak out or even rebuff the harassment so this is for all those men too.

At the weekend I decided to join, as an affiliate member, the Womens Equality Party. They accept members of other Political Parties and want to work across Political divides to make society fairer, better and safer. So, I’m still a Liberal Democrat but I’m a supporter of the objectives of the Womens Equality Party too. I hope people won’t think that is wrong …. surely it is not as bad as having an affair when already married and we accept that that is part of modern life!

So, to quote a safeguarding phrase that is applicable here “If you see something say something!” But for those affected by sexual abuse and harassment whether last week, tomorrow or 10 years ago “Speak out because together we’ll stamp harassment out”.