Has a man ever helped you when you were being harrassed/threatened/assaulted by another man?

[Echobelly]

I see a lot of stuff on social media, more usually from the US, about men talking about how they see themselves as 'protectors' of women (hmmmm 🙄) so it got me wondering how common it actually is for a guy to help when they see a woman being obviously harrassed, assaulted or threatened? And were they big macho types (usually the type who makes videos online about how they protect women) or just ordinary guys who helped by noticing?

I've never been in a position where I needed anyone to intervene fortunately... I have been with DH when he went over to a couple having a heated argument to check if the woman was OK (she claimed to be, although didn't look it., and they went off and we hoped at least the guy might lay off now someone had taken noticed) and I know my brother intervened, non physically, when he saw a woman being assaulted, so clearly it does happen. I suspect most of the time it is ordinary blokes just saying something rather than macho men rushing in with fists flying.

The bus driver when I was about 18 who let me off the bus early and then stopped at the real stop and waited to check that I was safe. I was being harassed by a man who got off the same stop as me but lived in the opposite direction. He was really scaring me that day. Can’t think of a man since who has helped in a similar way and I’m 54.

Yes. A lot more than once, starting when I was 11.

I am certain things would have escalated without their intervention, I was already overpowered. I'm grateful.

Many times.

Nope, never been helped by a man in that scenario but was helped by an older ( fifties?) woman once when I was about 20 and my ( arsehole ) boyfriend was being aggressive.

That is an interesting point. If I think back to threatening men when I was younger it was older and middle aged women who were most likely to step in and defuse or shield and now I'm the older woman I've done it too. I've not thought about it in that way but it can be more effective as a man stepping in if they escalate.

Yes. Several times in clubs/pubs, other men have come over when they've seen I've been struggling with some twat being persistent/handsy. They pretended to know me and led me away to a group or just chatted. One pub doorman was so nice about it. Last time was in my 50's.
A taxi driver stopped a man from chasing me out of a cab. The man had just got in and the cab driver thought he was with me at first. No mobiles in those days. I hid behind some bins for a while until I knew I was safe.

Rescue by a London black cabbie when younger and being harassed by a drunk bloke at a quiet bus stop. He stopped and then drove me home free of charge.

Remembered another one albeit I did ask for help.

Gay bar in big city. Man eyeing me up consistently.

Each and every time my DP went to the bar/loo, he'd come up and harass me. Asking for my instagram (I have one I NEVER use and I gave him it in the end thinking he'd be satisfied with that, there's nothing on there and I don't even know the password) he came back. Would not listen that I was gay and with my DP. On the third time I spotted a guy that I don't know, but who had had a brief chat with me in a previous bar. DP could have been a while as the bar was busy, so I went over and asked if he'd pretend to be my friend as random guy wouldn't leave me alone. Luckily he was lovely and said of course he would. Guy buggered off and DP found me. She went and gave him both barrels. He was really making me nervous.