UPDATE: Story of Molestation at AUB

UPDATE: The writer of the story wrote us again to clarify a bit about the story we published a few days ago about a woman whose young daughter was molested at AUB and was met with unhelpful security who blamed her for the incident: “I wanted to point out that after 30 minutes a security guard did come and ask for a description but it was far too late for anything to come of it.”

We’ve received a number of different stories and heard plenty others of incidents of sexual harassment at the American University of Beirut. As a result, we’re interested in getting together a group of volunteers, especially of AUB students or those who have had negative experiences on campus, to work on a campaign to pressure AUB for a better policy to deal with sexual harassment. Please send an email to salwa@adventuresofsalwa.com for more info.

Also, we’d like to get some more information specifically about this story, so if the anonymous author could please email we would very much appreciate it!

-The Qaweme Harassment Team

Her child was molested at AUB… and they did nothing to catch the guy!

My daughter was playing with the kitties at AUB between the Agriculture building and the gym. A man of around 30 came up to her and asked her if she wanted to go for a walk with him. She said no but he grabbed her butt while touching his own genitals.

He picked her up and started carrying her to an alcove near the stairway. She struggled and kicked him in his groin and she got away. The man ran away.

AUB was totally unprepared to handle such a situation. As soon as my daughter ran to me in the gym and told me the story of what had happened, I ran out and called from the emergency telephone. But the security person on the other end of the phone could not understand my english well enough and spent 30 minutes trying to get the story right.

In the end he told me that I should not leave my child unattended on campus, at which point i spewed a volcanic erruption of profanity and gave up that they would ever catch the guy. O well.

Submitted by Anonymous

Location: American University of Beirut

Time of harassment:  16-20: Afternoon Rush Hour / العصر

Do you have a personal experience with sexual harassment or assault you would like to share? Please click here and fill out the online submission form. All submissions are posted anonymously unless you specify.

هل لديك تجربة شخصية مع التحرش الجنسي أو الاعتداء تريد مشاركته ؟ الرجاء الضغط هنا وملء استمارة التقديم على الانترنت. وتنشر جميع التقارير مجهول ما لم تحدد

“Why do I have to be the one to just keep walking while you do all the talking?! Ask your mother, ask your sister if they appreciate it!”

I was walking home alone from a friend’s place after a night out. I wasn’t wearing anything that could provoke any reaction, simple black (not revealing) top, jeans, and I had already switched from my heels to flats.

I guess simply because it was late and I was a girl on the street, as a car with a few guys in it passed by they made kissing noises at me. It irritated me, and I was feeling particularly ballsy at that moment, so when the car right behind that one drove by and the driver slowed down and shouted, “bonsoir!” at me, I gave him the finger and kept walking. He began to follow me in the car for a block or two, and I was getting nervous and more angry.

I turned and shouted “FUCK OFF!” at him. He stopped the car and got out, “Wait! Why did you do that?”

I angrily turned around: “Don’t you have a mom or a sister?! Do you like it when other men on the street harass them?! Treat me like you would treat your mom or your sister!”

“You’re right, but my mother or sister wouldn’t make that gesture towards me. If they dont like it when someone says something to them, they just keep walking. I was just going to tell you that you are pretty, but the gesture it’s not funny.” he said.

I replied: “But it doesnt make me feel pretty, you would say that to any girl who is walking down the street late at night. And why do you get to be the one to say something, and I just have to put up with it?! Why do I have to be the one to just keep walking while you do all the talking?! Ask your mother, ask your sister if they appreciate it! I just want to be treated like you would treat them!”

He said, “Ok, you are right, you are right, but you dont need to make that gesture….So, can I have your number?”

“NOOO!!!”

Unbelievable.

Submitted by ck

Location: Medical Gate Street/Abd Aziz

Time of harassment: 2-6: Late Night / ما بعد منتصف الليل

Do you have a personal experience with sexual harassment or assault you would like to share? Please click here and fill out the online submission form. All submissions are posted anonymously unless you specify.

هل لديك تجربة شخصية مع التحرش الجنسي أو الاعتداء تريد مشاركته ؟ الرجاء الضغط هنا وملء استمارة التقديم على الانترنت. وتنشر جميع التقارير مجهول ما لم تحدده

“As if I were a dog.”

Photo by Lindsay_NYC via Flickr

I had to go to the airport, so got up late at night to meet my friends in front of AUB. Two guys in a car, slow down and start whistling and making strange noises. As if I were a dog. At some point they start offering me money.

“Khamseen dollar? Khamseen dollar?” F***ing idiots, I had a suitcase with me, I’m not a specialist, but which prostitute does that.When we approached AUB they stopped. Because yes, those who harass love doing it, but as soon as someone might judge them (as an AUB security guard) they behave themselves perfectly!

Submitted by LH

Location: Ain Mreisse

Time of harassment: 2-6: Late Night / ما بعد منتصف الليل

Do you have a personal experience with sexual harassment or assault you would like to share? Please click here and fill out the online submission form. All submissions are posted anonymously unless you specify.

هل لديك تجربة شخصية مع التحرش الجنسي أو الاعتداء تريد مشاركته ؟ الرجاء الضغط هنا وملء استمارة التقديم على الانترنت. وتنشر جميع التقارير مجهول ما لم تحدده