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Like usually every minute I'd quickly look around to make sure there aren't weirdos following me.

For context: I'm a young-adult male, but I don't exactly have training in martial arts or anything, so I'm every time I see anyone that looks "tough" I don't feel safe.

When I was a kid, my parents told me the usual "stranger danger" talk. Also in movies and tv, there are usualy a lot of plot involving peoppe getting followed, and the victim never looks back. In crime stories, and in the news, people usually become a victim if a bad person follows them home.

So when I went to school as a kid/teen, I'd always be scanning my surroundings like very often, especially when nearing home, I'd be like looking around every 20 seconds to see if there's weirdos following.

Even as a young adult, I kinda still have this instinct. I mean, we hear about crime everywhere. I don't exactly live in a "slum", but I live in a big city, and more people generally means more crime, and statistically, crime is sort of an issue where I live, I mean, it'a a city, you know how it is. This is in the US btw.

I don't carry a gun, don't wanna have intrusive thoughts about killing myself so I don't want that, so I carry pepper spray just in case.

I mean, I'm probably not gonna change my behavior, I think its good to be cautious, this question is just me trying to see if there's anyone else out there think thinks like me.

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[-] Witchfire@lemmy.world 48 points 1 day ago
[-] sxan@midwest.social 28 points 1 day ago

As a woman, you should.

You shouldn't have to, either.

[-] IsThisAnAI@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

Nah save your energy. You'll almost certainly know your rapist and it'll be in private.

[-] sxan@midwest.social 7 points 1 day ago

Statistically, yes. 90% known means that 1 in 10 rapes are by strangers.

I would not play Russian Roulette even if the revolver had 10 cylinders.

[-] IsThisAnAI@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Nah. Freaking out over low risk events is called anxiety.

Very very few people are just raped on the street.

[-] sxan@midwest.social 4 points 23 hours ago

1 in 5 women have been victims of attempted or completed rape. 10% are by strangers, so 1 in 50 women in the US have been raped by strangers. There are 167.84 million females in the US. That means 3.34 million women in the US have been raped by strangers.

Your definition of "very very few" is much different than mine.

[-] IsThisAnAI@lemmy.world 1 points 20 hours ago

So well well under 1% and of those occurrences you still haven't accounted for walking home on a street. ๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿ‘

[-] OldManBOMBIN@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago

As a big, scary-looking dude, I hate going out in public because I know I freak solitary women out. I feel like I should wear a shirt that says "I apologize for being here," or something. I'm sorry the world is this way. Y'all deserve peace and security.

Is there anything people like me can do to assure those around us that we are not the ones to fear? Like, is there a tattoo I can get or a hat I can wear or something? I wish rapers and miscreants had a distinctive look that us regular folk could avoid.

Of course, I currently look like Harry Henderson with a septum piercing, so I guess probably a shave could help, but I really like my beard. It's my security blankie :-[

[-] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 3 points 22 hours ago

I think the big thing is engaging with people.

I'm average size, but historically have RBF, so to counter it I try to engage with people.

Eye contact is huge. We can tell you're friendly from that alone (when it's done in a friendly way, not the staring down kind, haha).

I have a couple big friends, and it's easy to tell which are friendly by how they carry themselves (they're both friendly, one just comes across more friendly). It's interesting to watch.

[-] OldManBOMBIN@lemmy.world 1 points 19 hours ago

I typically make eye contact, do a little nod, and say "howdy" or "ay" in a sheepish manner.

I try to project the image of "if you need anything, let me know."

[-] Broadfern@lemmy.world 22 points 1 day ago

The โ€œaltโ€ style helps a lot, actually (ime). I trust metal head-looking dudes over frat boy-looking dudes 1000% but thatโ€™s anecdotal

[-] dumblederp@aussie.zone 4 points 20 hours ago

I was a bouncer for years, I'd take a metal night over a pop / frat crowd any time. Polo shirt and chinos, watch your drink ladies.

[-] Witchfire@lemmy.world 14 points 1 day ago

Honestly nail polish too. Cis men are usually too afraid to wear any, so when they do it's often a good sign. Bonus points if it isn't black

[-] OldManBOMBIN@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

Hell yeah, nice. That makes me feel a little better.

[-] Shayeta@feddit.org 3 points 1 day ago
[-] OldManBOMBIN@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Damn, that's good ๐Ÿ˜†

[-] Nefara@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Just ignore us. Consistent eye contact, staring, or obviously paying a lot of unwarranted attention to us is way more threatening than just being big or burly.

[-] OldManBOMBIN@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

So you mean I have to act like a normal human being? Fuck. I'm too curious and autistic for that. Are you sure there's not a hat I can wear?

There's a hat for the opposite of this. This isn't fair.

(Mostly joking)

[-] thebestaquaman@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

I usually make a point to take off my hood if I have one on, and generally lift my head and maybe give them a nod/smile, or otherwise indicate that "I've seen you, and I'm letting you see my face clearly". If we're alone in a dark, empty place at night, I'll also make a point to cross the street away from them.

I've talked to some women about how they prefer men to act, and they generally said they think what I do is decent. Of course, that's reliant on the whole "make eye-contact, nod, smile, and wave"-thing being done in a disarming and "I'm friendly and I see you, and I'm going to mind my own business"-way, and not a creepy way.

this post was submitted on 16 May 2025
116 points (100.0% liked)

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