The Jian Ghomeshi (let me call him JG for my blog today) chain reaction scandals that are popping up one by one have got me thinking. So far to date, there have been 14 physical and sexual harassment reports against JG ranging from students to an ex-girlfriend to even an incident when JG grabbed another man’s testicles. Apparently, JG did many inappropriate and illegal actions to multiple people that left them scarred for life. Anything that can make someone afraid of contacting the authorities is indeed horrific. The part that got me really thinking was that, if all these people who were assaulted by JG were adults, are we children really safe?

Are we children of today properly trained for a physical or sexual harassment situation? I mean, parents are always telling us what to do in case someone approaches us in a threatening manner. My parents always tell us that if we were, by anyone, attacked or sexually assaulted, we should scream for help, throw a Hail Mary kick right into whoever’s private parts, and run like there is no tomorrow. Now, I know every time I am told this, I just laugh and say okay repeatedly, no lies, and I like to think of myself as someone who can really bruise someone if I am forced to. But if grown people, for goodness sake are being raped and smacked in the head by someone like JG, what if I, a teenage boy, were to be confronted by someone larger, stronger, and scarier than JG?

Police officers go to schools every year to talk about different topics, including drugs, crimes, suicide and rape just to name a few. We are taught what to do in different situations, but is what they teach us enough? Kids are very curious beings and like to explore. I for one enjoy meeting new people and socializing with others. I cannot help it and that is okay. What I and everyone else need to know is how to properly protect ourselves from people like JG. Most of the time, if you are to be physically or sexually assaulted, it is by somebody you know, whether it be an uncle, an auntie, a cousin, a family friend, teacher, pastor/priest or someone you met at the park a couple days ago.

Not all kids know how not to associate with every single person you see walking down the street. I believe that, especially for children, avoiding contact with anyone you are not formally introduced to by someone you can trust with your life is one good way of avoiding any harassment. Then again, in some cases, targets are random. So what can the society do to prepare us children for a situation like one similar to the JG incidents? Those victims kept to themselves their troubling experiences with JG until now and we do not want little kids baring such disturbing experiences alone.

I am not saying we children need to be taught karate or taekwondo or anything like that to protect ourselves (but if that can help…. why not). Information sessions held by the school boards and police maybe to further understand what we need to do if we are ever confronted by a strange person. But what about people like JG (I mean the people we know who are always the sexual predators …the uncles, aunties, step parents, teachers, priests/pastors etc.). How can we encourage children not to talk to every single person they meet, to not trust someone straight away who claims to be their friend? The JG situation proves ever so more that not everyone is who they seem to be. The nicest of ladies could be a psycho mass serial killer with several bounties on her head and an ex-con hardened by the way of life in prison could be nothing more than a priest at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Many things can be done to prevent physical and sexual harassment to people, we just need to do them. Schools already bring cops to schools. Let’s go a step forward and invite parents to these meetings as well. Not many parents are comfortable talking to their kids about these issues. I see the way my parents struggle to strike a conversation of this nature. My mom brings us Metro Newspaper Monday to Friday. I have now learnt that it is her way to pave the way to talk about sensitive issues. I am now comfortable listening to them even though sometimes I wish there were good things to read from these newspapers or listen to from TV. Most of my friends at school wish their parents were open to these discussions like the presenters who come to talk to us at school. Parents, YOU NEED TO DO MORE…

Society has changed a lot. People we think we can trust a lot often end up being our worst nightmares. In which case, who can we turn to? The authorities? God? Some tend to go by the “no snitching” rule and many would not turn to belief in situations such as rape even though they are encouraged to report such situations. The big question is how can we children be protected?

Angelous