Best buy, bad offense.
I was at a Best Buy in Peoria, IL buying gifts for my family. I got in line to pay for my stuff when I noticed that a tall, middle aged, white man was standing a little too close behind me in the line for the cashier. At first I didn’t really think it was a big deal since the line was big and the store was crowded. Every time I turned my head to look at something, the guy would move to that side. I turned my head left, he got closer, and moved to the left. I turned my head to the right, and he would do the same thing. I thought he was just trying to look at the merchandise at first, but then I started to get uncomfortable since he just kept doing it. I turned around to look at his face, and he just stared over my head. When I got to the front of the line, he was still standing way too close to me. I was scared since this kind of thing has never happened to me before. I was so glad when I finally got to move away from him.
Total bad-ass takes down creep on Trolly
Do you have her back?
“No! NOT OKAY!”
On my way to work crossing the street and I odd kissing sounds. I turn to see what the heck it is, not realizing until I see a man with his head hanging out a car window. [Really? Like I'm a fucking animal? Fuck you!] I GLARE at him and yell “NO! NOT OKAY!”, he continues to creep along side of me in his maroon van plate “AMAZE 6″. I didn’t look at him again. I wish I could have gotten a picture.
Seriously, this happens EVERYDAY!
Jordan, Seeking Harasser for Explanation
I was jogging on Michigan Ave. on the South Side without my headphones in. I usually have music on but today felt called to be more intune with my surroundings. I’m not sure it was the best idea because as I was jogging, a car sped past and the passenger shouted “show us your tits!” There was no time for me to respond, even give the finger much less ask him why he thinks I would want to hear that. I don’t know what he looked like, what the car looked like or anything aside from the tone of his voice. For the next mile or so I couldn’t get the sound of his voice out of my head. I was so angry that people feel they are allowed to say these things to others. I’ve never understood any explanation why people do this. Few people would say this to my face, no one would have a rational explanation that would make this okay.
This isn’t the first time I’ve been harassed while running- this somehow makes me a bigger target than when I’m walking, driving, shopping- somehow I attract more attention when I run. When I have responded- i.e. saying “Seriously?” to a man obviously eyening me up as I jogged past- has elicited angry remarks as though I’m supposed to be happy about someone staring at my body as I pass.
I am seriously open to having conversation with people who cat call, given the opportunity. I really want to understand this, I really want a chance to calmly explain how I feel when someone says these things to me. I won’t yell, I won’t curse, I promise to be reasonable. I just want to try and understand this and be given a chance to be understood.
Fighting back at LPAC
I go to the LPAC on Diversey and twice now when walking to the gym (down Sheffield) I have had my butt grabbed. The first time I confronted the guy (a 20 something, african american guy. Probably 5’9ish, chubby) he told me without looking up from his phone that I “probably liked it”; at which point I smashed his phone, slapped him and walked away. The second time the guy grabbed me and then sprinted down an alley. I didn’t get a look at his face but from behind he shared the same description as the other guy (african american, 5’9ish, chubby). I tried to chase him but a knee injury prevented me from catching him.
I’m really glad to have found this site. I get harassed all the time- yesterday walking home from the Marshalls on Clark a man followed behind me making slurping noises and telling me he’d “rip me up” if he got the chance. I showed him the mace I was carrying and told him I’d spray him if he didn’t leave me alone.
I’m to the point where I don’t like to go out with out a man with me, feeling so helpless just makes me incredibly angry. Anyway, I’m thankful for this outlet and will pass it along to all my friends.
Kaitlyn (+BFF)’s Red Line Get-away
My best friend Olivia had slept over at my house and I was escorting her home, which I do when we can’t score a ride from my Dad. She was napping on my arm on the bus from my house to the Belmont Red Line stop and promptly started again when we sat down on the train. We were sitting in one of the forward facing seats on one end, there was only the single lonely aisle facing seat behind us before the end of the car.
In front of us was a set of women then the pair of aisle facing seats, then the barrier that separates the seats from the door. In the aisle seats there was an African American man, mid-twenties. He was wearing a grayish puffy vest, dark gray long sleeved shirt and jeans. I’d say his complexion was maybe a bit darker than, say, Mekhi Phifer. I’m not quite sure what sort of hairstyle he was was wearing, the closest description I can come up with is a very short comb twist.
Part way through the ride I notice a family composed of four (mother, father, two daughters I’d place under ten) get up and rapid move out of the section of train we were all in, I wondered what had caused it and looked around and then a see him.
His hand in his pants. He pulls about his penis and starts masturbating right in front of everyone in our area of the train. I jab my sleeping friend and drag her to the other side of the train, everyone still sitting around us (the two women ahead of us, one woman sitting across from the man) get up and move to the other side of the train at the same time as us.
I have no idea what was wrong with him, maybe he wasn’t right in the head or was your run of the mill pervert, but that really freaked me out. My lucky friend who was sleeping did not see him when I woke her up and had no idea what had happened until we jumped to another train car.
Women can’t vote in peace in Milwaukee.
Yesterday (4/3/12), I was waiting at the bus stop near my workplace to go home (and to do one of my favorite things–vote!). It is on a daily (5-6 times) that I am hollered or beeped at while going to and from work.
This time, I was waiting at the bus stop by a busy intersection and I was getting hollered at by a guy in a car “Hey baby! Hey beautiful!” but I refused to look up from my phone. “Baby! Over here!” and I still didn’t look up, so after 30 seconds of hollering at me and not getting the response he wanted, this man threw an egg at me that splattered on my jacket.
I was shocked, disgusted and extremely upset. I told my boyfriend and was crying for an hour after. It’s only been a day and I’m still processing it, but I’m trying to stay strong and not change my patterns or limit what I do because of a bunch of pricks. I think they’ve “won” once I’ve changed. It is extremely frustrating and there’s nothing anyone can do for me (to the guy who threw the egg). It is something I’ve learned to put up with, but I can’t tell you how much it is bothering me and slowing eating away at me.
People problems on the Red Line.
A beefy bald man wearing a black porkpie yowled at me for no reason as we got on the red line. He was with a demoralized looking woman who might have been his mother. When I told him to stop harassing women he told me *I* had a problem! The woman said nothing. I tried to take his picture but it didn’t come out.
