“He closed the door and touched me”

“He closed the door and touched me”

Salam Watandar is publishing a series of interviews with the victims of sexual harassment who have gone through the experience in government and non-government institutions. The names of the victims are fake but their stories are real.

Zuhra:  When I was going through a divorce, I had to struggle with different economic challenges. Living in a capital city like Kabul, it is difficult to earn for the living especially when you are a woman with three children to feed and clothe.

I would seek job anywhere, and finally I made my mind to go and join the police. At first, everything seemed normal.

The commander in charge of the section swiftly processed my paper work and kept the papers with himself. He asked me to come to his office to receive my files and documents. I did not know about his heinous plans. As soon as I entered his office, he closed the door and immediately touched me. I was scared and puzzled. After such an unpleasant moment, the commander continued to visit my office under different excuses and kept staring at me.

Samira: I was unemployed for 9 months. One day, I received a call from one of my friends who asked me to work as a secretary for a newly established organization. I was so desperate that I accepted the job. It was a week into my job and everything was normal. Everybody there were friendly and approachable.

One day, when I was alone in the office with our boss, he approached me and sat beside me. He wanted to make further advances and I was desperately trying to distance from him by moving away but he dragged his chair closer and closer to mine. I was very indignant and scared. I shouted and suddenly my phone rang and he stepped outside my office.

Five days after that incident, I totally changed my behavior with the boss and he realized it and after a few days he sacked me, and I took a sigh of relief and stayed home.

Nargis: I had a passion for working in media. I was so interested in becoming a presenter for a TV network. My family, friends and teachers would always encourage me to work in the media. I was fortunate enough to have a job in one of the TV networks. I thought it was a dream come true.

On my first day at work, the owner of the TV proposed to marry me and threatened to sack me if I did not accept the proposal. The next day, I did not bother myself to step outside the house and never went there again.