Last August I was walking home after a gig and as I live in Manchester City Centre I’d always been comfortable walking home on my own as its fairly busy. Sometimes you’d get wolf whistles or lewd comments from groups of men, but nothing that made me feel threatened.
Then last August, as I said, I was walking home from a gig when I got to Market St, which is close to where I live in the Northern Quarter. It was midnight so not as busy as during the day but still a fair few people around so thought I’d be ok, as I had been hundreds of times beforehand.
I’d just got to where the escalators from the foodcourt area, and I noticed this guy who was hanging around the seats near the escalators. I had a bad feeling in my tummy about this guy so I put my head down and quickened my pace. He seemed to notice me and pick on me as he came over and looked at me, I’ll never forget that look in his eyes, he was psycho! He obviously could tell I was intimidated and he said, “Run love, run” and I did. I always thought if i was in a situation like that I would stand up for myself but in reality I was terrified and just ran.
This guy then ran after me and chased me all the way up Market Street. When I got to High Street I had to stop to get my breath and I thought he had got bored but he hadn’t and he was chasing me still. So I ran along High Street and it was only that I bumped into someone I knew who walked me to my building that he didn’t catch up with me. What freaked me out even more is that about half an hour later, i was watching out of my bedroom window and I saw him cross the road in front of my building.
The incident really freaked me out and I’m still having anxiety problems related to this.
– Katie
Location: Manchester City Centre, United Kingdom
Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Find suggestions for what YOU can do about this human rights issue
Kat says
You need pepper spray asap. Also, a good class in basic self defense moves helps a lot sometimes when you really need it. You can put the pepper spray on your key chain. Also, I know a lot of people might not agree, but when you are in serious danger, like you are, if I were you, I’d pack an extra set of clothing that is very baggy and with a hat that can disguise you and make you pass for a guy. I did this before. Although I did it to go walking at night for exercise. You can put on this outfit to go home. You can hold the pepper spray in your hand as you walk, ready to go with your finger on the twigger and still walk normally. Also since he knows where you live, you might want to get your locks changed, and get a friends shoes who is a man to help you. Borrow a pair of his shoes and put them on your front door step. Keep them there for a long time. Also, if you have a porch, you can get a pair of a friends pants who is a big man, and hang them out over your porch. This has gotten rid of someone who was a total freak and was stalking me at my apartment before. It really worked. Good luck to you.
friday jones says
I don’t think pepper spray is legal in Manchester. But it’s perfectly legal to carry your own condiments, a pocketful of salt and pepper can be repurposed in a flash, and is perfectly legal to carry because we all use salt and pepper every day, right?