Me too!

Having just listened to Question time on the subject of inappropriate touching I decided it was time to join in.....
I doubt if any woman over fifty hasn't experienced unwanted male advances and inappropriate touching at various times of her life. The worst was in my teens...before going to training college I took a job in the laboratory of the nearest textile mill. I needed the money.
Part of my job was to collect samples to test . It was a weaving quality control lab right in the heart of a weaving shed.
Weaving sheds are very dusty, hot, noisy places...the walk around the looms to collect small pieces of fabric was fraught with difficulty.
As hands reached out to touch me in very inappropriate places. I used to deliberate walk miles out of my way to try to avoid the worst.
The man in charge of the small lab knew perfectly well about the problem. I was 16 and frightened as well as embarrassed.
My boss advised me to "take no notice" they apparently did it to every passing female...I just had to get used to it.
I never did. The suggestions that accompanied the touches were worse.
Apparently the last girl had had the same treatment....it was why she left they told me with a jeer in their voices.
I worked there for half a year before getting a job in a nursery school which didn't pay as well but I was safe!
I tried to explain to my mother why I'd left a very good wage for a poor one. But she really didn't have much sympathy...leaving me to suspect that at a certain level it was regarded almost as normal...what you had to expect if you were young and reasonable looking.
Over the years since then it has happened fairly often even when I got much too old to look good...a certain sort of male seems to feel it fair game...a little pat here and there, a more lingering touch elsewhere.
We really should not be asked to accept it and men like the film maker who used their power in order to get away with it do need to be brought to some sort of tough justice..so.....me too!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad