To think the RSPB shouldn’t say if you don’t want to see naked men stay away from the woods/public footpaths?

[CovidCorvid]

So 2 years ago I visited Sherwood forest and was by myself in the forest when I came across 3 naked men. Which was a little unsettling for a woman by herself. It was in a quieter part of the forest so at that moment nobody else about and I hadn’t seen anyone for a while. On a public footpath.

I spoke to some (clothed) men about it further along the path and they said it’s a common occurrence and that the police are frequently getting called and tell them to get dressed.

It’s in the news currently as larger groups of naked men have been seen again. Seems the main areas they stick to are managed by the RSPB who seem to be encouraging it. The land may be managed by the rspb but they’re public footpaths, not a pay as you enter nature reserve. The bit I actually saw the men in wasn’t the rspb bit but there’s no fence/demarcation between them.

RSPB say if you don’t want to see naked men then stay away! Ffs. Why is it the naked men get to ruin things for other people? The police say it’s illegal if someone is offended. 🤷‍♀️

www.visitsherwood.co.uk/plan-your-visit/naturism-on-rspb-reserves/

@badpuma

Presumably the knife in your mums kitchen which she was using to chop vegetables wasn't an unexpected knife. A person wandering around woods waving a knife around might make you a little nervous.

Ah, I must have missed the post where it was people actually waving a knife around in the woods. I thought it was just a Freudian analogy.

It is a criminal offence to “outrage public decency” - there is no maximum on the fine or prison sentence.

Being naked in a public place is not a right.

Why?

Because men assault, attack and rape women, on a daily basis. And when a woman meets a man exposing himself to her, it is threatening.

What total wankers.

@crackofdoom

I’m surprised that no one else seems to be getting how unsettling it is to be confronted by a naked man when you’re out walking on your own. Or how the lines between naturism/ exhibitionism/ indecent exposure frequently seem to be deliberately blurred by these people.

This. I walk alone a lot, albeit with dogs, often in rural/wooded/isolated areas. If i came across a naked man or men i would be very anxious and unsettled, and probably run a bloody mile. Until men stop using their penises as a 'weapon of choice' against women & girls, whether to commit assault or just expose themselves for the thrill of it, I'll continue to do so. It's called self preservation.

I don't think I've ever heard of naturists attacking anyone

How do you distinguish a naturist from a man naked for other reasons?

No man with half a brain would wander about naked if he intended to attack anyone. It would be far to difficult to get away, he’d be easily spotted.

Apart from being a naturist, I can’t think of a single sane reason why anyone would wander about with no clothes on.

''And it's telling that it's men, not women, who are doing this and being prioritised. Another example of how "public" space is actually male space.''

why does every thread turn into misandry or man bashing?

@Balgoresboy

''And it's telling that it's men, not women, who are doing this and being prioritised. Another example of how "public" space is actually male space.''

why does every thread turn into misandry or man bashing?

Why does every public space turn into somewhere men want to get their genitalia out?

Exactly are they?? Do you have a map?

Why does every public space turn into somewhere men want to get their genitalia out?

It doesn’t.

I actually think that naked men are so bloody horrible to look at, it would scar me for life (let along my kids). (And yes, Im not overly keen on my dh naked body either.........................)

@Blossomtoes

No man with half a brain would wander about naked if he intended to attack anyone. It would be far to difficult to get away, he’d be easily spotted.

Apart from being a naturist, I can’t think of a single sane reason why anyone would wander about with no clothes on.

So how do you explain flashers then ?

• Until men stop using their penises as a 'weapon of choice' against women & girls, whether to commit assault or just expose themselves for the thrill of it, I'll continue to do so. It's called self preservation.*

That’s the problem isn’t it. Nakedness by itself - fine, your choice. Groups of naked men together - prompts immediate concerns about threats from women. Groups of men together can be a threat. We’re told repeatedly that it’s our job to look after ourselves, then told that we can’t in the next sentence, and in the next we’re told all of our concerns for our safety are complete jokes anyway. If me don’t want us to have concerns for our safety then they need to do something about the way men behave and their levels of general aggression.

If I had any influence at the local RSPB branch I would be looking to set up a designated area for naturists, and respecting the general public’s concerns about groups of naked men outside that area.

@callmeadoctor

I would be very offended to see a strange man naked. (Actually i would also be if it was a woman). Fence off and sign these areas if you want to allow naturists (indeed they can pay for this). Bloody hell is no place safe anymore.............................

Exactly. They can use their own area and pay for it.

The fact that these were all men just makes it sound like cruising with a twist. At this rate, Peter Tatchell will be campaigning for them soon.

@Blossomtoes

Why does every public space turn into somewhere men want to get their genitalia out?

It doesn’t.

Of course it doesn't. If people really believe it does I'm surprised that they leave the house at all.

So how do you explain flashers then
Flashers are sexual perverts.

Naturists are men and women who prefer to be unencumbered by clothes. They are so used to seeing naked bodies of all ages shapes and sizes that nudism is about as unsexy as it's possible to get.

How do we tell the difference between a flasher, and a naturist, in a public place that is not a designated naturist area. 🤨

So how do you explain flashers then ?

Flashers aren’t usually naked, are they? They tend only to expose their penis, the clue’s in the name. The flasher I experienced was fully dressed with open trousers.

@Blossomtoes

So how do you explain flashers then ?

Flashers aren’t usually naked, are they? They tend only to expose their penis, the clue’s in the name. The flasher I experienced was fully dressed with open trousers.

Yes exactly this. I would be concerned about a man exposing just his penis. And massively concerned about an otherwise fully clothed man deliberately exposing and gripping his erect penis.

But a man who is naked except for walking boots? Mildly amusing. Vulnerable (him, not me). Exceedingly low risk.

@Blossomtoes

So how do you explain flashers then ?

Flashers aren’t usually naked, are they? They tend only to expose their penis, the clue’s in the name. The flasher I experienced was fully dressed with open trousers.

I don’t think there’s a handbook issued to flashers with a set of guidelines they must adhere to. They get off on exposing themselves and a pair of walking boots are easily come by, if they get to indulge their ’hobby’ unchallenged. Couldn’t care less about naturists, or naked bodies, but i would feel uncomfortable walking through woodland alone if I encountered group of naked men and I was unaware wtf was going on due to poor, or no signage. My understanding is that these men are outside the designated naturist areas, so unsure why you are defending that.

.

My experience of flashers is also that they aren't naked.
I doubt if many rapists choose to strip off before carrying out attacks either.
Of course naturists should keep to designated areas but it seems that part 9f the issue is that the areas aren't as clearly marked as they might be.

I have no problem with people being naked in designated areas, but they should be signposted IMO.

The reason that some women (myself included) are alarmed by the idea of suddenly being faced with a naked man in a remote spot is the very real danger that some men pose and our relative vulnerability. I don't know what the current statistics are for the number of women who have experienced sexual assault, but I'm sure it's high. If your response to a naked man is fear because of a traumatic event, you can't just rationalise it away. I personally think that the right of women to feel safe (regardless of whether the person in question poses a present threat) should be respected. It's not silly to feel threatened by this type of encounter and, for me at least, it's nothing to do with disgust or prudishness at the naked body. Having clearly marked areas where naturism is permitted seems like a sensible balance.

Also, there seems to be a belief that naturists are all harmless which I find a bit tricky to understand. I certainly don't think that naturists are any more likely to be predatory than anyone else, but I don't see how they are less likely to be predatory either. There must be SOME who get a sexual thrill out of being seen naked- just as there are in any other population. Also, I can see that having public areas where nudity is expected and accepted would be attractive to people who are not naturists at all and would take advantage of the fact that they can walk around exposed without being challenged. It's fine to have areas where people can be naked, but it needs to be made as easy as possible for people to identify those areas and avoid them if they want to.

@ilovesooty

My experience of flashers is also that they aren't naked. I doubt if many rapists choose to strip off before carrying out attacks either. Of course naturists should keep to designated areas but it seems that part 9f the issue is that the areas aren't as clearly marked as they might be.

I’ve always reasoned that a rapist, would be lurking in an area with a higher footfall of potential victims than in a forest with minimal, but i still feel uncomfortable when I’m out alone in such areas and I encounter a male, clothed or not, because it’s been conditioned into me from a young age to be. It’s just not appropriate for these men to be wondering around like that and there needs to be proper signage, for everyone’s benefit.

I can’t believe so many on here have managed to lead such sheltered lives that they can’t appreciate the difference between a sexual predator and a harmless naturist and a penis being used as a weapon or just dangling. I have been flashed more times than I can remember and in every case they were clothed but had their penis hanging out as they wanked it , and they all looked like sad losers who would have run away if I had had the gumption to react aggressively. It is these sad losers I want the Police to be catching not some harmless people enjoying nature in a place where it is traditional.

Also, there seems to be a belief that naturists are all harmless which I find a bit tricky to understand.
Because they’ve probably watched a programme about naturists where they interviewed some harmless old hippy in his sandals and the image has stuck. Don’t seem to consider that the BBC would unlikely be interviewing the swivel eyed, hairy handed members of their community, for their tele programme.

@Emilyontmoor

I can’t believe so many on here have managed to lead such sheltered lives that they can’t appreciate the difference between a sexual predator and a harmless naturist and a penis being used as a weapon or just dangling. I have been flashed more times than I can remember and in every case they were clothed but had their penis hanging out as they wanked it , and they all looked like sad losers who would have run away if I had had the gumption to react aggressively. It is these sad losers I want the Police to be catching not some harmless people enjoying nature in a place where it is traditional.

I understand what you're saying, but I don't agree that there's always something perceivable that tells you someone is a sexual predator. I've been sexually assaulted twice, and both of the perpetrators appeared completely harmless- and in one case, was a person who I'm sure others would have been quick to say was a harmless person that was just going about his business. I'm not saying that we should all walk around assuming that everyone is about to assault us, but I don't think it's right to assume that someone doesn't pose a threat simply by merit of being a naturist or any other demographic generally seen as harmless.