Wow, that was quite some speech. And I couldn't agree more with you. Especially with the last bit (since the parts before don't apply to me):
And I urge all of us not only to feel sympathy for the victims of sexual assault, but to actively promote a healthy atmosphere to strongly discourage potential predators. Don't laugh at smutty jokes when women are degraded. Don't treat women as sex objects. Don't dismiss any woman's complaint about a possible assault. Investigate it, or turn the complaint over to the police for investigation. And let's all remember that this world isn't always a nice place. We should be ready to lend a helping hand, but we should also be ready the clobber those who would destroy the weak.
Well, although I am a woman, this is basically what I try to do in everyday life. But not only in regard to sexual assault. I'm usually the person who stands up when something bad happens to someone else. And most of the time I'm rather lucky and don't encounter any real problems. I guess I'm a good actor, being able to project a confidence I don't actually feel. But this act has saved me on occasion, I guess. It has happened more than once - when I was walking home at night - that a guy would give me the once-over and quickly act *very* disinterested when I stared back, my shoulders squared and my back straight. And back then I certainly looked better than I do now.
Something everybody - especially every woman - should do is learn at least some karate, or tae kwon do, or judo, aikido, kung fu, ... It certainly helps with self-confidence, self-defence and the 'right' body language.
