Big men prey on girls

A woman of 24 years is bitterly lamenting the psychological trauma she has to endure in her search for a job. According to her, out of the eight workplaces she has gone so far to look for a job, all the top men want to sleep with her before giving her the job, reports Merari Alomele.

The tall model-like beauty who has had a stint in local advertising doesn't want to be identified, because she feels that might hamper her chances of getting a job which she is still hunting for.

"Mr. Editor, I find it extremely frightening that all those top executives want to have sex with me in exchange for a job," she told this writer on Monday. "I can say with all certainty that the sisters and daughters of men are in serious trouble, because the right to a job is no longer a right but a privilege that can be had only in exchange for sex, and it doesn't matter if you're qualified or not."

And who are those top executives? She wrote the names of the executives on a sheet of paper together with their establishments to prove her point, but doesn't want them to be published for the sake of their families, marriages and relationships.

"I don't want these names to be published; I just want these big men to know that they are a societal menace and should change for the better," she said. "In fact, they are a nightmare and I just pity myself and the hundreds of girls completing school and searching for jobs. They must be protected by the law, and that is why I am bringing this to your attention Mr Editor.”

When this writer suggested to her that she could report the matter to the police if she felts sexually harassed, she replied that the police do not have the capacity and will to fight those big men. "They'll only tell you to go and come, go and come. They can't do anything."

The woman said she studied Human Resource Management in university and felt qualified for a job. "If there is no vacancy in an establishment or workplace, I can understand if I'm told so; but if I'm asked to consider sleeping with the boss, that is very offensive and criminal and should be dealt with by law."

When reminded that the law cannot take its course unless a complaint is made, she said unless the police are prepared to take up such issues with all the seriousness they deserve, no victim of harassment will waste her time going to the police.

The woman said she felt encouraged to come to a media house because she listened recently to a JOY FM programme during which some women gave testimonies as to how they became victims of sexual harassment and seduction at the hands of prospective employers.

"One of the women said on JOY FM that she was passed round from man to man, four in all, all of whom slept with her, and yet didn't give her the job. That is terrible and society should not sit down unconcerned when these things are happening.

"In the schools, lecturers are said to be sexually harassing students and after school we have to go through these difficult situations to get a job. Isn't it time everybody took a serious look at what is happening to young girls and women? Society must wake up to the call and save the future mothers from selfish men who use their positions to destroy innocent minds," she said.