There needs to be more noise made publicly about sexual harassment in Colombo. Even something as limited as a blog would be a start -at the very least, it would collect a lot of stories together and that would be difficult to forget or dismiss. (I don’t know if such a thing already exists? I wonder if there’s anybody like Blank Noise here.) Maybe the spread of camera phones will help. Maybe a name-and-shame campaign. But that seems too much like attacking the symptom and not the disease. Argh. At least sexual harassment at work is getting some attention.

I am an avid girlwatcher myself, and have been one since I “discovered” the female species. And as any birdwatcher (of the literal as well as the euphemistic sense) will tell you, the best way to watch is not to be seen. to not scare them off by screaming and shouting.

Unfortunately, some idiots don’t seem to learn.

I would like to thank you (and all like you) on behalf of the Sri Lankan girlwatchers for being so nice, and watchable. For the tight jeans, the short skirts, and more than that, for looking so nice no matter what you wear.

For the smiles that you give (if not to us, at least to the people around you), and most of all walking with your head held high and looking the world in the eye, instead of the “prescribed” head down, eye downcast fashion.

We love you for it, we thank you for it, and we hope you are never scared off.

And remember, if you ever need help escaping from the whistling shouting jerking off immature types, there is usually a girlwatcher or two always willing to help.

And as for the covering up thing, it’’s just a lame excuse….I see here girls walking on the streets, at dusk, alone, wearing teeny weeny peices of garment and nobody even turns to look at them.

It’s not the clothes, it’s the respect that’s missing in our culture.

Of course you might have to learn to say all of this in Tamil, but that’s an entirely different problem. You could try this - http://www.learntamil.com