How to Avoid Being Harassed
Filed under: Heebie Jeebies - July 12, 2007 @ 10:31 am
Last week we touched upon a good way to avoid being bothered by men. But what should you do if you’re really feeling threatened? You can’t reason with them, you sure as hell shouldn’t submit, and it doesn’t work to tell them you have AIDS and are on the rag.
Take a tip from my mother and fight back with a twist: act insane.
A few years ago I was walking down the street, and two bad boys (about 13 years old) on their bicycles started following me like a couple of wild dogs staking out a deer. (It must have been what I was wearing - a long black skirt and sweatshirt.) I tried ignoring them, but then they started coming closer, calling out, “Hey slut! Hey bitch, where you going?”
I tried walking faster, my heart beating fast, but they started veering their bikes into my path, closing in, chanting obscenities. They were totally getting off on my fear. It was when they started bumping into me that I stopped in my tracks and started flailing and gave some of that fear back. I channeled my mother, screaming, “SNAKES ARE COMING OUT OF MY EYES SWEET JESUS!” and a few other choice phrases.
It worked like a charm - they freaked and took off. Plus, it was fun to see the look on their faces.
July 12th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
Brilliant. I did that once: walking down the streets of Toronto, a guy started following me - a really, really, really big guy - and I just turned and started screaming “what the fuck? what the fuck?” and he ran away.
Tried that on my cat earlier tonight, didn’t work. Still wanted her butt rubbed.
July 12th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
That advice is not for women only. When I lived in New York, if I felt threatened walking somewhere, I’d start talking to myself and making jerky motions. It will keep the bad guys away.