I was unloading groceries in my mom’s car’s trunk as she ran into the store to get something she forgot. I hard a car running and when I turned around, I saw a man with short brown hair and a face broken out in acne staring at me from his silver car. My initial impression was that he was waiting for me to move my car, but that didn’t make sense. My mom parked far away from the building where there aren’t other car because she doesn’t want her car to be hit by car doors or carts. Then I thought maybe he knew me. Or maybe he saw my underwear as I leaned over to grab groceries and put them in the car?
He never rolled the window down or said anything. He just stared and looked away when he saw me looking at him. Cars were going around him. I thought maybe he was drunk because he seemed really nervous and odd. I got a weird weird feeling. So I sped up putting things away, and went to put the cart very close to the building instead of in the cart rack nearby. I kept watching him behind my back. He parked his car a space from my mom’s and waited for me to get back to my car. A chill went down my spine. I didn’t know what he was going to do. I could still see him watching me. So I went toward the store like I was going inside. When he saw me going toward the store, he pulled out and sped off.
Optional: Do you have any suggestions for dealing with harassers and/or ending street harassment in general?
Get to where there are people and always have a plan when you are alone. Be observant of your surroundings.
– Emily
Location: Ballwin, Mo
Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910
Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.
