I am on a business trip and after I checked into my hotel this evening, I went for a run. I like going running new places. I was on a dead end street off of a busy one when I heard a man’s voice, “Hey girl, run girl, yeah you better run girl!” Then in an increasingly aggressive and louder tone of voice, he started yelling, “Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeah!”
My heart started pounding. It was an otherwise deserted area and a location unfamiliar to me. I turned around to see who he was and maybe confront him, but he was hidden from view behind shrubbery. As his aggressive tone sunk in a bit more, I felt frightened and I sprinted back to the main road and made my way back to my hotel, trying not to cry.
It may not sound like that big of a deal, but it’s really shaken me up, especially since I am now in an empty hotel room in a new state across the country from where I live. This incident has made me feel vulnerable as a woman out in public on her own and that makes me really mad. I have every right to be in public and not be harassed and frightened! I’m not going to cower and hide and not go for a run or travel by myself but in this society, I know that comes with a risk of being harassed or assaulted by scary, disrespectful men 🙁 It makes me so ANGRY!
Anyway, I drove back there in my rental car and took a quick picture from my window. It’s only of bushes, but it marks the spot.
When will women be safe?
-holly
Location: Clay Street SW, Wilsonville, OR
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Golden Silence says
I am so sorry that happened to you. That is so creepy. I can definitely see how some fool can hide behind that and scare people.
I hope you don’t see him again, but if you do, call the police on his butt.
Stay safe and strong!
Condition Red says
What an awful thing for someone to do. I would have been frightened too in your situation. It’s probably a good idea to carry some mace while running so if another asshole tries something like that he will get what’s coming to him. (I wish that we lived in a world where women had no need for this, but unfortunately we don’t. Sigh.) Good luck!
Alan says
A guy in the bushes, what a coward! Bravo to you for keeping you wits about you and being willing to go at it again! It is so hard to overcome the inherent/logical fear of a harasser. Good for you.
Margaret says
This story makes me very sad and angry. I’m sorry that you experienced this crap. Stay strong, it will get better!