The tragic death of Eurydice Dixon has prompted conversations across the nation about women’s safety, anger management issues among men and whose responsibility it is to keep women safe.
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It is a sad indictment on our society when women feel they have to walk home with their keys poking between their fingers.
It is also a sad indictment on our society when we talk about educating men to not harass or assault women.
Not all men are evil and capable of unspeakable acts. We are not lumping all men together into one category and saying they are all monsters.
True gentlemen exist and its worrisome they could be mistaken for the small portion who are not.
But for those who have ever harmed a woman, thought about harming a woman or assaulted a woman (physically, sexually or emotionally), should we be teaching women to defend themselves against such men?
Or should we be teaching those men how to refrain from that behaviour?
Debates about reactionary behaviour and preventative measures have been had across the country, including in Wagga.
People are openly discussing taboo and uncomfortable subjects or personal experiences in the hopes that it will lessen the number of victims, such as Eurydice.
Women should do what they can to protect themselves but there should be no need to worry in the first place.
And alternatively, men should not worry that their actions will be perceived as harassment if those on the receiving end don’t view them in the same way.
It’s a double-edged sword and there might not be a quick fix but at least it’s prompted conversations in the community about acceptable behaviour or similar situations that your friends and family members have experienced.
Because talking to most girls will reveal they have been victims of some type of harassment, unwanted advances or sexual abuse in a pub, at home, at work or just walking down the street.
But most men will say they have not been responsible for this type of behaviour, that they are not perpetrators, it was all in good fun.
So if men say they aren’t responsible and women say they shouldn’t have to be so concerned about their safety when they go out in public, how do we possibly pinpoint how to fix the situation?
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