‘This is what misogyny looks like,’ says victim of homophobic, sexist attack (LISTEN)
A woman has described falling victim to vicious sexist and homophobic attacker.
Victoria Curtis, from Dublin, was walking home with two friends in the early hours of Sunday morning (March 6) when a stranger started hurling homophobic abuse at the them.
The man demanded the women expose themselves to him. After they refused, he proceeded to call them “feminist feckers’ before physically attacking the group.
After directing a string of homophobic insults at her, Ms Curtis claims the man pointed at her and said, “I voted yes for marriage equality, but I didn’t vote for that,”
He then said that although he would not hit the other girls he would hit her. “That’s not even a woman,” were the last words the man shouted before throwing at least four punches at his victim’s face.
In response to the vicious encounter, Ms Curtis shared a photograph of her black eye on Facebook, accompanied by a powerful message.
“This is what misogyny looks like,” she writes. “This is what being a faggot looks like.”
“This is what happens women on Saturday nights walking home with their friends.
“This is what a man did to me, after I told him it wasn’t cool for him to tell us to take off our trousers, pull down our knickers and show him our arses,” she continues.
“This is what being punched four times in the faces looks like because you’re a queer.
“This is what happens when we call them out. This is what will keep happening if we keep ignoring and accepting their behaviour.
“This is why consent courses are needed in colleges.
“This is Ireland 2016.”
Ms Curtis said she decided to share the post on International Women’s Day in order to highlight the “layers of hate” that still exist and refute claims that “this kind of thing doesn’t happen” in 2016.
“I am a bit shocked that I’m having this conversation with you, on International Women’s Day,” she told RTE Radio host Ryan Tubridy.
“We, as women experience that kind of street harassment regularly.”
Listen to their full conversation below:
