It’s no secret that the world isn’t a safe place for women — most of whom are victims of abuse, harassment, and casual sexism. Making women feel safer starts with education, and educating young minds is arguably the most important step toward equality. But how our patriarchal society functions makes it seem like a lost cause. So, one would expect schools and colleges to be the saving grace, teaching young students the correct values.
This is why the disappointment only multiplies when the harshest example of sexism comes out from educational institutions of all places. This was the case recently, too, when the all-male college, Colegio Mayor Elías Ahúja in Spain, made the headlines — after a video of their male students executing a well-planned mass catcall shocked everyone.
In the video, the male students were seen opening their windows simultaneously, spitting vile words at the all-girls dorm across their building. You would expect a college of that league to be better and teach the bare minimum, basic respect. Instead, the boys were seen shouting this disgusting line “Wh*res, come out of your burrows like rabbits, you’re f**king nymphomaniacs. I promise you’ll all f**k in the bullfight! Go Ahuja!”
It turns out, this is considered a ‘tradition’ which even has a name — “ritual of machismo.” The university, too, knew of the horrid act going on for years but did nothing.
A building full of young men thought it was funny to harass women openly, which would hint at how easily this ‘tradition’ had been ignored for years. The boys had enough courage to openly harass women, having no doubt that they would get away with it.
But, it was different this time, with the heavy media attention and Spain’s revision of laws regarding sexual abuse and consent. The school has allegedly expelled the ‘leader’ organizing the mass catcall, and the school states that they are investigating further.
This particular incident has also gained the attention of higher authorities, and even the prime minister of Spain came out with a statement. The sexual terror and violation those girls faced must have been traumatizing, and they will most likely never feel safe in that space again.
What do you think of this? Let us know on our Facebook page, and join our community on Reddit!
