Safety advice for women: How one woman avoided a stalker : Tiffy Taffy

As women, we are constantly reminded to “stay safe” and be aware of our surroundings. We can only dream of a world where we don’t have to worry about the risk of being hurt or even killed just because we are female. Deemed the “weaker” of genders and easier targets. Way too often, we are told our clothing choices are what causes us to be attacked. And, if we are out later at night, that’s wrong, too. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time, why are women so often blamed for their own victimhood? None the less, this is the world we live in. And therefore, if we absolutely have to be watching our backs constantly, it helps to know what to do if you ever find yourself in a situation where you are in danger.[1] This thread about safety advice for women could really help save your life.

This user shares her experience after reading other users’ safety advice for women.

After remembering some advice she had read online, this Reddit user got herself out of what could have been a very bad situation while at a mall with her husband. Before leaving the mall, her husband went to wait in the car while she made a quick stop at the restroom.

She says that as she entered the restroom, she saw there was a man inside. He turned to look at her as she walked past him. At this point, her memory was jolted back to some tips she’d read online. One of those tips was not to go into a public toilet if you are being followed or suspect you are. The woman says she quickly turned around and exited the restroom. The man, however, stayed close and followed her out.

Then, remembering another tip on the safety advice for woman thread:

“If you think you’re being followed, calmly turn and go into a store that the suspected person would not typically have interest in.” She quickly walked into a store that would make absolutely no sense for the man to need to go into, and she walked into a dollhouse store. The man walked in behind her. And this is when she knew she was being followed, and it was not just paranoia.

She rushed out of the store at a faster pace, and then man walked faster, too. At this point, she describes how she got her phone out and called her husband who was waiting at their car. She loudly exclaimed that she was being followed by a man and her husband rushed back into the mall to find her. The man who had been following her, of course, hightailed it out of there pretty fast. She was safe, and all thanks to that Reddit thread on safety advice for women.[2]

Other women quickly responded to her thread about the incident.

As if that story isn’t scary enough, what’s even scarier is the number of women who commented after to share their stories and other safety advice for women in similar situations;

Trust Your Instincts

“As I was browsing the makeup aisle, I could hear the conversation between this guy and the salesperson. He was rapid-firing questions at her about the shavers, one after another, without giving her time to answer. She was becoming frustrated, but he was relentless. He started insisting that she allow him behind the counter to look more closely at the shavers since she couldn’t answer his questions.

I went to an area where I was behind him but could make eye contact with the salesperson. She looked at me, and I mouthed, “are you ok?” She shook her head slightly as she maintained eye contact with me. I pulled out my phone and texted my husband, who was waiting in the car. He shot into the store so fast he left the car running. As soon as the weird guy saw him, he decided he didn’t need a shaver after all and left.

The salesperson was shaking when I paid for my stuff but thanked me for not leaving. It was near closing time, so she locked the door early and called the police to report the incident. They assured her they would be there when she walked to her car.
kindadirty1

Be Aware

I had a man follow me from a restaurant to a gas station over 10 miles away. Along the way, he had gotten beside me and waved at me, tried getting me to roll my window down, followed very closely no matter how defensively I drove. Getting closer to home, I stopped in at a busy convenience store and bolted inside. I quickly got in line between two other men stating quietly that I was being followed. Oh boy, did those guys rock! The one behind me gently moved me in-between him and a wall; the one in front just legit dropped what he was holding and approached the man. Those guys made damn sure I was fine, the creep took off, and those fellas waited for my husband to meet me there.
SlackAsh

Thinking Smart

My girlfriend and I were followed walking one of my dogs at night. It wasn’t quite dark but on its way. We wanted to just take a brisk walk around the neighborhood, which in total was about 3/4 of a mile. For 90% of the walk, everything was fine and normal. Around the last curve, we passed a man walking the opposite direction by himself. We got closer to each other, and I picked up my dog. Pit mix but on the small side. (I once saw a post where a girl’s medium-small dog was snatched, and in her chase to get her dog back, she was abducted.

Dog was tossed, and she was pulled into an SUV type car) anyways. We then heard steps behind us, and I glanced back and saw he had turned tail as soon as he passed us. He was RIGHT THERE. Knowing I didn’t want to go home and that my husband wasn’t home, I called my neighbor and loudly said, “HEY TONY WERE BEING FOLLOWED CAN YOU GET THE BOYS AND MEET US AT THE PARK (community park we had to pass to get home) The guy literally heel-toe turned away from us.

Now, the guy didn’t know that Tony was about 65 and had health issues. Tony has no “boys” I just wanted it to sound like more men were going to be there. Tony indeed met us at the park and stayed there while we finished the walk home just in case the guy came back. Which he never did. Tony hasn’t been by neighbor now in over 5 years, but we still talk regularly.
InstanceAromatic7021