I was minding my own business walking down a semi-busy street when a middle aged, older man made eye contact with me from his car. Used to unintentional eye contact, I paid no mind and kept on walking; however a few minutes later, the same person stopped his car beside me and asked if I needed a ride. I politely refused and continued walking, but he was persistent.
For the next five minutes, he would drive alongside me and periodically stop and try to persuade me to go with him. He said that we were going the same direction, so he would not mind to give me a ride. Every time, I politely refused. In those five minutes, I tried to make eye contact with several passing drivers, but none actively responded. Therefore, I took an active role in protecting myself with an uncompromising attitude. Although he tried to reassure me that his intentions were pure, his actions were too suspicious; it made no sense why a middle aged man would persistently offer a teenage girl a ride. Finally, he gave up, drove straight for a few meters, and u-turned away. So much for same direction.
This encounter was unsettling, for another middle aged male had once followed me to my house before. What I feared the most was that some girls may be too scared to react and give into his persistence. This area was near a local high school, and this event happened approximately an hour before school would end. Thus, I feared he would continue to prey on others.
I fear for the safety of high school girls, younger girls, and any person walking on the streets of this seemingly safe suburb. No person should be subjected to this experience because gender and/ or sexuality should not play a role in a person’s safety on the streets.
– Anonymous
Location: Temple City
Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more idea