From gym creeps to outright stalkers, most women, unfortunately, experience discomfort and fear from men who are downright creepy. And all too often they are ignored and dismissed by people who think that if it hasn’t happened to them, it must not be a common occurrence. But now women can actually film and record their experiences to show the world what something as simple as going for a jog can actually be like.
A woman documented the harrowing experience of being followed on her regular run by a man. She details how he switched directions to trail her for over a mile. The video went viral after thousands of people commented on similar experiences and expressed support for the woman.
More info: TikTok

Most men will not experience the number of creeps women might encounter while just going about their business

Image source: lacie_kraatz

“Hello, I’m just making this video so that women are a little bit more aware of them. See this gentleman behind me? Yeah, this is what this video is about.”

“So here I am running, doing my three-mile run. And this gentleman was ahead of me at one point. And he was going the opposite way. Now, as you can see, he’s behind me. And the reason being is because he waited and stopped in the middle of the trail, just to get behind me. And then I know what you’re thinking, ‘Why are you suspecting that he’s following you’? Let me tell you. I was just walking like this. And I look up and he’s in front of me, and he just keeps doing a peek like this behind him over and over again.

Image source: lacie_kraatz

“And yes, I went a different way on the trail just to give him the benefit of the doubt. No. Because, you know, at red lights where it stops the person from walking, well, I ran that. I wasn’t supposed to. That was illegal. Just so that he would be, like, half a mile behind me. And I started running, you know, because I’m on a run. Nothing different. This man is speeding up behind me, speeding. I’m gonna run real quick to see if he starts running. Oh, yeah, he’s running. There he goes.”

Image source: lacie_kraatz

“Just staring at me. Looking at me. Stop looking at me. Behind the car. Look at him. Turning back around. He’s walking this way now.”

Image source: lacie_kraatz

“I can’t even finish my run. I only ran like a mile and a half. I wanted to do three miles, but no. Creepy men just had to be creepy f**king men today. If, for a minute, you feel like someone’s following you, odds are it’s probably happening.”

You can view the whole TikTok here

@lacie_kraatz #foryou #ladies #awareness ♬ original sound – Lacie

Just a few bad experiences can end up leaving a lasting impact on a person’s mental health

Image credits: Dương Nhân (not the actual photo)

Women, statistically, are correct to be cautious. They are more likely to be victims of nearly every type of interpersonal crime, from theft, sexual assault, stalking, and even family violence. More importantly, most women are aware of this. As a man, I would not have thought twice about a person walking behind me on a sunny day in a well-lit area. Women do not have that luxury. Studies indicate that due to previous victimization or knowledge of an acquaintance’s victimization is enough to create a fear response equal or similar to being alone, outside at night during the daytime.

Even in situations like the one portrayed in the video, there is a lingering feeling of fear. Many commenters recommended not going home, as that would reveal to the stalker or follower where the woman actually lives. Regardless of where they go, stalking victims report a long-lasting, persistent feeling of fear and dread. This means that just a few encounters like the one documented in the TikTok are enough to leave a lasting, negative impact on the woman’s mental health. This topic can be hard to study, as many researchers are men, who remain woefully unaware of women’s experiences. It can be hard to create a research methodology for something one is completely unaware of.

Harassment and creepy behavior are more commonplace than many are willing to admit

Image credits: Ashim D’Silva (not the actual photo)

In one study, female respondents found the question “Have you ever been harassed in a public place?” strange. All of them had experienced harassment at some point, and most had encountered it recently. It was so prevalent, that the respondents thought the question almost unnecessary. In general, situations like this demonstrate the gap in understanding between many men and women. Men think a stalker is something out of a TV show while some women might be contending with multiple stalkers. In certain places, there are organizational efforts, finally, to design security around women’s issues. University campuses, for example, might increase lighting in areas past the regular visibility norms to stop creeps from hiding in the dark. Other institutions will have security dedicated to escorting women to their cars or dorms.

This environment of risk creates a lasting and constant feeling of stress. Women report a constant fear that isn’t necessarily linked to a specific individual or crime. Experiencing creepy behavior or hearing about it from different women (or even seeing it online, like this TikTok) all contribute to both the awareness of crime and the fear of it. This content is ultimately good for raising public awareness. Too often changes in legislation or general safety are reactionary, while they should be preventative.

Many women shared similar experiences in the comments and gave some advice on how to best protect yourself

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