If I go out alone at night in my neighborhood I get an average of 3-5 “hey baby” type comments per outing. If I go out with my dogs, I get roughly the same number of people, from roughly the same age/gender range asking me friendly questions about them, which is a kind of interaction that I enjoy. Somehow the presence of the dogs, even though they are not at all scary looking, completely changes the way men interact with me on the street from upsetting and sexualized to pleasant and neighborly. I am completely baffled.
-anonymous
Beckie Weinheimer says
It makes me wonder if a large number of harassers really do just want to reach out and they do it in this inappropriate way because, what else is there? But with the dog they find a more appropriate way? I have no idea, but it is very interesting!