Page 16 - ARUBA TODAY

A16 LOCAL
Friday 26 January 2018
Awareness Walk Sexual Harassment:

Students Feel Lack of Trust to Speak Up

By Linda Reijnders ing his name was no option. At
ORANJESTAD - She took on a 313- the start of their study all students
mile journey by foot from Trump have a presentation about title IX
Towers to the White House Decem- and their rights, within this presen-
ber 2017 to raise awareness about tation the topic of sexual harass-
sexual harassment. Karin Bosman, ment is mentioned as well. Still stu-
Dutch and founder of About Work- dents don’t think this is enough for
place Harassment (AWH) visited them, almost every student spoke
many universities during that walk out about the fact that they need
like Princeton, Penn, Baltimore and more sessions on this theme to em-
Howard to look for that necessary power them to speak and stand-
talk about sexual harassment. “By up but also to learn more about
introducing myself and the cause resilience, prevention and also
I was walking for, explaining that about that grey area were person-
I’m a survivor of sexual harassment al boundaries are of influence.
and today the founder of AWH, stu-
dents were open enough to share Same Socks
with me their insights on this still dif- When Bosman entered Washing-
ficult topic”, Bosman says. ton, after days of walking proximally
24 miles a day, she was exhausted.
AWH is not only advocating on sex- Carrying all the things needed in a
ual harassment in the workplace backpack she had to pack lightly,
but also in education. which led to walking on the same
According to Karin this Walk was socks for days, Bosman says. “Two
needed to create the necessary guys asked me where I was from,
awareness about sexual harass- I explained to them but didn’t tell
ment in education. The budget them for what cause. They want-
cuts planned for 2018 by the US ed to say something for my vlog.”
government will hamstring the While he was sharing his thoughts
monitoring of complaints, coor- he suddenly kissed Bosman on her
dinate incidents and will not em- cheek. Fully surprised by this and
power men and women to speak ensured about his good intentions
and stand-up against this growing she still felt uncomfortable and un-
problem, it will only have an ad- safe. Bosman decided to walk on
verse effect. instead of confronting him.
More victims and bystanders will
suffer in silence resulting in disas- The organization EROC http://
trous consequences. endrapeoncampus.org/title-ix in
Not every student wanted to share Washington waited for Bosman to
their view on sexual harassment on arrive at the White House. “The fin-
camera. She just arrived in NYC for ish was a very emotional moment
her Walk2Talk when TIME’s person for me”, Bosman says. “I’ve missed
of the Year 2017 was announced my family for weeks, even cele-
‘The Silence Breakers who spoke brated my birthday along the way,
out against sexual assault and ha- while walking in the cold.
rassment’. But I wouldn’t have missed it for the
Being one of them it motivated world. I have met so many incred-
her even more to finish in Wash- ibly amazing Americans. People
ington DC with a backpack filled who gave me their number to call
with learnings from those dealing when I was in trouble, needed help
or witnessing sexual harassment in or just for a talk. Also via social me-
education. dia the people I’ve met started fol-
Bosman was especially interested lowing me.”
in their view on filing a complaint
or not, how do the students look at During this Walk2Talk she was ap-
the policies and procedures and proached by Denim Day New York
what needs to be done from their (DDNY).”They asked me if they
perspective to prevent sexual ha- could portrait me in their coffee
rassment from happening. table book, an amazing project of
the Peace over Violence (POV) or-
No Help ganization.” Her next walk will be
Almost all students think the same sooner than expected, Bosman will
about the persons who are carry- in the center seems to be one of many students about this topic. be present at the Rally of Denim
ing out that the policy, they aren’t problems here. At Princeton she spoke with three Day in NYC this April 25, to be pres-
always that helpful. The first ques- Bosman analyses that students guys and two of them almost ran ent for the launch of the coffee
tion that often is asked when a vic- feel a lack of trust and that’s what away when she introduced herself. table book which showcases pho-
tim finally speaks-up is ‘You under- keeps them from stepping forward The one guy left behind apologized tographs of survivors with messag-
stand that you are ruining some- as a victim but also as a witness or them and was willing to discuss the es that celebrate their experience
one’s future now?’Not putting the bystander of sexual harassment. issue with her, he approved on an and courage of raising awareness
personal experience of the victim It was very difficult to speak with audio record but camera or tell- to support survivors.q