Teachers are responsible for teaching children how to read, write and be good people. And to some, that is a bond that is shared even years after graduation. But some think they can use that to take advantage of students.
Following the #MeToo movement where women speak up on social media against sexual harassment, one shared her story of inappropriate behaviour by her former teacher on the eve of her wedding.
She writes, “I am not sure whether this is normal to some, but I am uncomfortable when my teacher talks to me this way. I still view myself as his student, even though I am finished with school. He texts me every day, attempts to call me, tells me that he misses me… and he has wife and kids!”
Not wanting people to simply her word for it, she attached screenshots of her conversation with her teacher.
She continues, “At first I thought he was only joking, but when he spoke of ejaculation, I was disgusted. Few of my friends received similar messages, but not as direct and lewd as mine.”
She said that he flirted with her friend to that point of inviting her to meet up in Kuantan.
Some netizens thought that she shouldn’t have replied in the first place.
“You should have just ignored him if you knew that he has a wife.”
This was however later met with retaliation from netizens stating that she was just trying to not be rude, out of respect for the teacher.
Another netizen shared her own experience when her teacher began flirting and made lewd comments about her breasts!
Seriously, WTF!
“You are not alone. My teacher too harassed me and asked me to marry him then talked about inappropriate things with me, such as my breasts.”
The culture of equality and respect needs to be instilled in our society, and harassment should not be seen as jokes or laughing matters.
We urge members of the public to speak up and report sexual harassment to the authorities or women’s rights organisations. It is time that your voices are heard, to give strength to those out there who are silently victimised.
Also read: M’sian Women Reveal Hijab Didn’t Stop Harassment in Revealing Twitter Thread