When I Was Pinched in the Mission

Back in school, I had gone to get my dinner, and I was walking down the street at night sticking close to a group of people. Out of nowhere, some idiot pinched me in between the legs. I mean pinched. Right there. Pulled on me, and pinched. This is sexual harassment at its finest. I yelled at him, swinging my grocery bag at his chest three times. I then cornered somebody, a male somebody, yelling at the person to look out for somebody smaller than he was because some idiot had pinched me. I was surrounded but I escaped that situation rather quickly, and I was yelling at them really loud. I had beef, green beans, and cheese in my bag as my only weapon.

I was yelling at the guy who pinched me, told him not to try that again, threatened him as best somebody smaller than the lanky teenager was, and ran away back toward home. I guess I had passed Safeway and was off near the nightclub. I doubled back to my address, and my roommates were apprised of the situation. Later that week, I went to file a police report. I had to look out for my infusion set the night I was pinched. Wow, what an idiot. This behavior passes for sport in the Mission District. I had yelled at the guy I cornered that women shouldn’t be mistreated like that or pinched in between the legs. I mean, I seriously yelled at him. For like 5 minutes.

Later on in the months that followed, I saw two men walking about pinching for sport. One warned the other one never to try pinching me. I made a martial arts gesture, fist over fist. This means, I know how to fight you. I know how to defend myself, don’t mess with me, as in the dojo, we use the gesture to bow as we enter. I studied Kenpo since 1996-2001. My hypothyroid interfered with my martial arts studies since it gave me monster periods, as well as physical weakness. I quit practicing until college, when I found my school in San Francisco. I studied tae kwon do in junior college, two quarters, and one year of tae kwon do at the YMCA near my old house.

Martial arts gives you the ability to defend yourself. I’m not afraid to hit people or look as threatening as my 4’10" frame will allow me to look. I managed to look threatening enough to many people over the years. I’m willing to hit somebody, or pepper spray a possible threat. Pepper spray is a crime deterrent as is a jogger ring that has a stabbing part. I need one of those rings, as well as a pair of nun chucks to carry around if I walk at night. Big rule of living on your own, being female: don’t walk around at night by yourself. This is dangerous. It can get you mugged, or even raped. Some men feel women are fair game after a certain hour. This would make you an instant target.

To protect yourself, walking with other people offers some protection. But going out alone at night is a dangerous, and unpredictable activity. Attackers view you as helpless, and fair game. I know somebody who said she was only robbed once while doing this. I had to point out how dangerous that is for a woman to do at night. The best rule to live by is not to walk around alone at night. It is risky business to do such a thing, since more criminals with criminal objectives are around at night who could try to hurt you.