I remember being followed around by grown men at the age of twelve, because of the way my body matured. Even though I was clearly a little girl (I even had the face of one), these men didn’t care. I’ve been approached by men at the age of sixteen, who “couldn’t believe I was only sixteen”, but proceeded to ask for my number anyways. A man once approached me, then ended up lashing out at me because I “didn’t dress like a teenager and should’ve been wearing a t-shirt and jeans instead”.  I’ve even took part in calling little girls fast and seeing them chase after older men, instead of helping them because I didn’t know any better.

Stop sexualizing young girls. Stop posting pictures of them on your Facebook suggesting that them wearing a romper or posing with their hands on their hips is a sexual thing. Stop saying that the little girl that lives next door is going to be a “thot” or a “hoe” when she gets older just because she likes to play with makeup and admires Beyonce. They’re children.

Stop justifying grown men preying on little girls. Don’t use a child being “fast” or not dressing her age as an excuse for grown men (who know better than her) pursuing her. Instead of telling your daughters to stop dressing a certain way in the house because you don’t know who’s around, know who you’re letting around your kids. The way your daughter dresses in the house is not the reason a predator is a predator.

Stop letting men say “She looks grown”, as a way for them to justify their creepy behavior. Trust me, these men can tell the difference between a grown woman and a little girl. Stop saying that teenage girls look like grown women these days, because you know damn well that they don’t. Teenage girls wearing full faces of makeup and a short dresses change nothing. It also gives a grown man no right to chase after them.

Just let these little girls be kids. Stop treating them like grown women. Stop putting toxic beliefs into their head.  Let them be wholesome and innocent. Protect them at all costs.