When I was about 21-years-old, I was at the mall down the street from my college looking for a new pair of pants. I had spent probably a good half hour in the same store humming and hawing about what to buy when suddenly an older women runs up to me and sticks a piece of paper in my hand. She whispers, “Read this” before walking off.

Feeling like I was in a spy movie I opened the paper. It read:

“There is a man following you. White shoes, blue jeans, grey t-shirt.”

In shock I looked up immediately and frantically begin looking for the man. Sure enough, there was someone about 20 feet behind me…and when I made eye contact he hid behind a pillar.

I immediately grabbed my things and ran over to the area to confront the person but he was gone. Shaken up, I went to the security desk at the Mall, and told the two men working there what had happened.

They responded, “Yeah. It happens all the time/”

The complete apathy of the ‘security’ appalls me even to this day. And if it happens all the time…maybe something needs to be done about it?

Either way…I went home as quickly as I could, taking as many turns as possible to make sure I wasn’t being followed.

– JaguarGrin

Location: Oakville Place. Oakville Ontario, Canada

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.