In this place, almost every woman reported having a singular but similar experience. In the next instant, it would dawn on her that she was safe here and that there was no reason to be afraid. Relief at this thought would flood her until the next moment brought anger that all women must carry this fear. Care, vigilance, and observance of certain sets of rules are the only guarantee that women and children can be safe in the world. All too often, even when women follow all those safety rules, they still get hurt.
Every woman knows there is no absolute guarantee.
The feared entity is not a monster or ghost, but men, the kind of men that prey on women and children. In this matriarchal community I attended a seminar that riveted me and revolutionized my thinking about feminism. Kay Lee Hagan, a feminist speaker and writer, spoke eloquently of the internalized oppression of women and the need to educate all women of this fact. She spoke of the patriarchal world, where men inherit privilege and power. She pointed out that men control the economy, politics, and own most of the property in the world.