The Strength in Taking care of each other
Dear reader,
“Text me when you get home”
A simple sentence that many of us understand without explanation. It means: “you matter to me. I will keep my phone nearby. I want to know that your evening ended safely”
There is love in that message. There is also a fear we have learned to live with.
Before going out, we check our phone batteries, plan our way home, and tell someone where we are going. On the street, we notice whether there are people around, whether footsteps are getting closer,or whether a nearby shop is still open. Sometimes we do these things so automatically that we barely recognize the effort it requires, and how it has become such a basic part of our lives.
A walk can involve more than choosing where to go and when to go. A date can involve more than deciding what to wear. Even saying “NO” can require a calculation: will this person respect my answer, or should I find a gentler way to leave?
We deserve ordinary freedom: an evening walk with headphones, enjoying music, instead of listening to footsteps-and checking people around us. A conversation without pressure. A journey home that does not leave someone we love awake with worry.
Why does that still feel like too much to ask?
When we hear another story of violence, assault, stalking, or obsessive control, we wonder how society allows this. Why is surveillance and jealousy turned into proof of love? And refusing to accept rejection persistence? What are we missing when we excuse behaviour that frightens women?
The Women Who Changed the World and are Still Changing the World
The worst part is that danger does not always come from a stranger. Someone can say “I love you” and later cause you harm. A friend you trusted can leave you at your most vulnerable. Betraying that trust is their responsibility, and never your fault for believing them.
No woman can predict every situation or read every person’s intentions. Precautions can help, but they cannot guarantee safety. Women of any age can experience harm, including from people they know.
How much more could we enjoy a conversation without planning a safe exit? Why must living an ordinary life require so much preparation?
Responsibility for violence belongs to the person who commits it. Society must take threats and stalking seriously, provide accessible support, and stop searching women’s choices for excuses for someone else’s cruelty.
Still, despite everything, we build friendships, pursue ambitions, and fall in love. We continue to make plans as the fear does not define us. Calling women strong means little if we expect them to tolerate harm. We keep texting “ text me when you get home.”We will keep answering, waiting, and showing up. That solidarity should also help us demand more for ourselves, our friends, and the women we will never meet. We should build a safer society for our future children, for our daughters, who deserve to inherit freedom alongside our love.
We teach girls to protect themselves; we must teach boys to respect boundaries and accept rejection. Women’s bodies are not just a piece of meat; we have a soul. Don’t just protect your daughter, educate your son!
Safety cannot depend entirely on how cautious girls become. It also depends on boys learning responsibility and respect. We have dreams, interests, and plans. Our energy belongs to our lives. Our strength deserves expression in joy, opportunity, and the adventures we choose, beyond the frightening experiences we endure.
To every woman reading this: you are not alone. And you don’t have to be fearless to be strong.