Our view: Catcalling and sexual harassment should be taken seriously

Sexual harassment has become one of the most talked about situations through the world.

Yet, it is still viewed as something that needs to be hushed and swept under the rug. When it comes to catcalling, it’s especially gotten to the point where women hate even traveling from one place to another, because it is likely that a male will throw a “compliment” and expect a sweet response back.

That’s not how the world works, and that’s definitely not how women should be treated.

Making a whistle sound, shouting, or commenting in a sexual nature to a woman passing by is what catcalling is defined by. This word is specifically made and used for the way men mistreat women in the world. The most common form of catcalling is strange men saying or doing something to get the attention of a woman passing by. Whether that be for a “compliment” or just to be a nuisance, it is disgusting in both senses.

For female students on campus, this tends to happen on the way to classes, on the way in and out of the dorms, heck even in class, and just in their normal lives. Many happen while women are just doing normal life tasks like shopping and eating out. It’s sad that in today’s world, this is something that women “just have to deal with.” It shouldn’t be that way.

By doing something about it, hopefully one day it will be seen as the horrible mistreatment that it is.

To report an incident on campus, contact the Coordinator of Equity and Compliance Jake Gunden at gunden@hutchcc.edu or 620-665-3512.

Together, we can create a safer campus that is free of the catcalling bulls—. Women will not be silenced. They will stand.

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