Ariana Grande has been a public figure for just over eight years. She started on the Nickelodeon show “Victorious,” then starred in another Nickelodeon show “Sam and Cat” while in the same year coming out with an album that sold 130,000 copies in the first week. Grande has made five albums in the last six years with her most recent, “Sweetener,” released on August 17, 2018.

Even with all of these accomplishments, she was still groped on television by a pastor named Bishop Charles H. Ellis, III at a memorial for Aretha Franklin. Grande had just finished performing her version of Aretha Franklin’s “A Natural Woman” when Pastor Bishop asked her to come up while he spoke.

In the videos shown, Bishop had his arm around Grande, gripping the side of her breast and keeping her there. Many times she is shown trying to get out of his grip but is brought back to his side to continue being groped at a memorial in front of a national television audience.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that this has happened to her. In 2015 while performing with Justin Bieber singing “Love Me,” he came over and pulled her back into him and held her against him before she got out of his hold and laughed it off while fans cheered.

After backlash from viewers watching her get groped at a memorial service, the pastor issued an “apology” saying, “It would never be my intention to touch any woman’s breast… I don’t know, I guess I put my arm around her.” Then he said, “Maybe I crossed a border, maybe I was too friendly.”

Grande is a woman who is not afraid to show her sexuality and be open about it. Any of her music videos, interviews, or performances show that she doesn’t seem to be afraid of showing her sensual side, which in some men’s eyes may seem like an invitation to touch her. However, it’s never okay for any man to touch a woman without her permission, let alone, make her feel uncomfortable in public situations, like Grande’s.

In my opinion, it is scary. How can a successful young woman with many albums, in multiple shows, and with such a large fan base be grabbed and taken advantage of on television and how can women without a following or public presence be expected to feel safe?