73 seconds

73 is the number of seconds counted in between

Yet another sexual assault case in this sweet country,

Where females like you and me,

Are told the problem is those tight jeans.

You’re calling their attention is what they make it seem

Making us live in a fantasy,

Where we can’t dress as we please.

Because certain men can’t control their need,

To ruin our lives before the age of 18.

Now I ask you what about the females that don’t dress tight?

The ones that don’t have any “provocative areas” of skin in sight?

Are they also the reason those men can’t fight

Their urge to make them stay awake at night

Wondering if they’ll ever feel alright?

What about the ones under the age of two,

The ones that are too young to have a clue,

And can’t defend themselves from the abuse,

Are they also at fault for what those men do?

No, and neither are we.

995 in 1000 perpetrators will walk free,

And my wardrobe is what you choose to see,

What you choose to fix is the length of my shirt,

What you choose to fix is the tightness of my skirt,

What you choose to fix is the way that I look,

Because that’s what matters in your book.

But here comes the sequel,

Men and women have never been equal,

And the fact that you choose to neglect that,

Is the exact reason victims don’t fight back.

Stop making excuses for the inexcusable,

Stop accepting the unacceptable,

Stop being as insensible,

As the men ruining the lives,

Of females under the age of five,

Of females who wish they hadn’t survived,

Because the pain those men left behind

Makes them think they’re not strong enough to thrive.

The clothes we wear are not the issue.

The issue is men like them, and people like you.