Sexual Harassment Stories and Experiences

Now I can’t walk in my own neighborhood

Rachel, Delaware

I was 12 years old, and was walking over to a girlfriends house 7 blocks down from me.

On my way a Jeep thing like car pulled over next to me. I gave the man a nervous smile and walked on. In retrospect I think that that was a huge mistake! He starts to drive off and I relax. I keep walking and suddenly he is there beside me again. I later figure out that he had gone up the street only to turn around! He pulls up next to me and asks if I have a boyfriend. I say “Yes, sorry” because I am afraid of what would happen if I said no. This time I watch him go ahead of me and I watch him turn around again.

By now I am petrified! Scared for my life I run behind a huge SUV in someone else’s driveway. The jeep slows down in the area that I’m in, almost to a stop, as if looking for me. He eventually drives away.

I start running for my girlfriends house, putting on a burst of speed every time I heard a car coming behind me. I finally see her and tell her. We go to her house until my mom can come pick me up.

I am 13 now, and can’t walk down there by myself. I have to give my girlfriend at least 15 minutes head start. I can’t walk in my own neighborhood! Every time a car is slowly driving behind, me I freak out. Has anyone else had this problem?

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 10th, 2006 at 2:56 pm and is filed under Sexual Harassment in Miscellaneous Settings, Effects of Sexual Harassment, Stalking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

5 Responses to “Now I can’t walk in my own neighborhood”

Haley Says:
December 11th, 2006 at 3:03 pm
I think that your reflexes kicked in to tell you that this man was not perticularly nice.
joanie Says:
December 16th, 2006 at 5:07 pm
I live in a big city and had this happen to me a couple of times in my youth and even once in my 30’s.

When I was 15 a guy slowed down and asked for directions, being nieve I got close enough to see into his vehicle and his exposed penis.

Not easily intimidated, I made the sarcastic remark “is that little thing suppose to excite me? F*** you A******

He drove around and then took off……….I was still cursing at him. The guy wasn’t that big so I wasn’t particularly afraid of him.

Two years later at 17 some creeptoid exposed himself to me and three of my girlfriends through the glass window at a neighborhood McDonalds. We chased him down a busy street and one of us made contact with a large Coca cola. I bet he thought twice before pulling that again.

My buddies and I, having been raised in a big city, were exposed to these kind of sleezeballs at an early age and warned by our parents and older siblings.

Right after I moved into my new neighborhood in my early 30’s, another idiot did the “cruise around.” He received an apt response.

If you have this happen again get his license plate number and call the police. Whatever you do don’t act afraid or go into an isolated area. Yell to attract attention, this usually scares them off.
Rachel Says:
December 16th, 2006 at 10:30 pm
i wasnt around any one i knew and it was like 3:00 when every one was at work. i tryed 2 get his lisence # but i was 2 scared!
Noha Says:
June 7th, 2007 at 3:46 pm
First of all thank heavens you’re safe now…I had a good idea when I read your story. You can print flyers of what you can remember of how the guy looked and of his car…even draw a picture or something…hang it on every tree,lamp in your neighbourhood, leave it on your neighbours’ doorsteps. That way, you’ll scare the hell out of him as he wouldn’t think of harassing a girl in your neighbourhood again and if he tried the girls would have already taken precaution and would just run away from him or scream if he tries to approach them.
George Says:
October 11th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
You are too young, and you should avoid traveling alone anywhere. Obeying your instinct was a very good thing that may have saved your life. If you know who this individual is, report him to your police. He may already have been convicted as a child predator, and your word may put him where he cannot act on his fantasies with you or anyone else. Take care of yourself. Now that he knows where you can be found, you have to be especially watchful. Tell your parents, your relatives, and your neighbors what happened. Then, tell your friends so they can help protect you, and you can protect each other.