On Saturday, The STAR reported on a case of alleged stalking now before the courts in Montego Bay, St James.

The complainant says her home was broken into and 'Love you 100%' was written on her coffee table. It was discovered that money and photos of her were missing.

Of course, whether or not the accused is guilty is up to the courts. However, we have no doubt that there are many women in this country who suffer harassment from men daily.

And it is not as if they are in circumstances outside their normal routine. The harassment occurs as they go to and from work, as they shop, and as they go to and from their places of worship.

These daily invasions of personal space, verbally and physically, most often do not reach the level where a criminal charge would be levelled, but we consider them no less an offence against the person.

For, what passes as an approach to a woman is, in many cases, simply nasty and offensive. And there are men who believe that women have no right not to respond to their crudity.

It is these casual and consistent crudities that develop into our sickeningly high rates of rape and carnal abuse. Because it would seem that if a woman has no right to be treated with respect in language, certainly she has no right to determine the limits of her sexuality.

We hope that more men will adjust the manner in which they talk to women. And we hope that more women will insist on better treatment.