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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Dad and women's changing room.

244 replies

BubbleMachine · 25/01/2023 19:49

I have name changed for this just incase the dad in question is on here - I am maybe being paranoid but a little shaken up from this confrontation.

I go to toddler swimming class. It is in a school and there are 2 small communal changing rooms, one for women and one for men. I have to go in the pool with my child.

Today after class I was trying to get dressed but a Dad had the door wide open to the women's changing room, standing in the doorway, trying to "help" his wife with their four year old child. This Dad is not a regular and I have never seen him or his family before. The door to the changing room opens up to the lobby area so there is zero privacy if the door is open.

I asked to please move and shut the door as I was trying to get dressed. He looked me up and down and said that he was just trying to help with his child. I repeated that I wanted to get unchanged so he had to leave and shut the door. He then said that he was not some sort of pervert and that I need not worry, no one in their right mind would want to look at me anyway. I, at this stage start to get angry and say "I don't care if you want to look or not, I don't want to get undressed in front of you". He then shouted a bit more that I was mental and slammed the door and left.

Then there was an uncomfortable few minutes while I changed next to his wife and child in total silence. I hurried to get dressed and out asap as it was really awkward. My husband was changing our child in the men's changing room.

I leave the women's changing room to the foyer to put my shoes on and wait for my husband. This man is there and he is still angry. He starts attacking the way I dress and look and keeps repeating in different ways how I am too ugly for anyone to look at. I keep repeating over and over again that I don't care if he want to look or not, I have a right to my privacy. He is adamant he has a right to change his child and that he was not technically "in" the changing room, just at the door.

Then my husband comes out with our child. The guy looks at him and says "awww, I am so sorry for you Mate, having to be married to that". I say to my husband he is angry because I asked him to leave the changing room, and my husband responds with "don't speak to my wife like that".

My husband is an extremely calm and mild manner man, he tired to explain to him that when men are asked to leave female spaces they should do. The guys starts mocking him, "what is this fucking woke bullshit" and laughing. He then gets his phone out and starts phoning me and calling me a Karen and "look at the state of this bitch thinking I would give her the time of day - don't flatter yourself love". I just keep repeating all the time that all I wanted was to get dressed not in front of him. I then say it is extremely entitled of you to think you have a right to be in the women's changing room and he explodes at the word entitled. "Don't you dare call me entitled, I am going to find your car and hunt you down at a service station".

At this stage, we have our coats and shoes on now... I know there is a lot of text here but all this happened in just a couple of minutes. I say let's just leave. And he says, if you ever speak to me like that again I will have you.

We get back to the car and I bust in to tears and we drive home. Aibu to be worried he is going to upload that video to social media and make me look like some mental "Karen" (I hate that word, I am only using it as he did). Also should we just leave the class now? I don't want my child and husband to be put through that again. I don't know what the swimming school would say or do if I reported it. Should I report it? Sorry for being so waffley and for the many typos, I am very shaken up and really needed to get it all down and clear my head and work out the next step here.

OP posts:
Atethehalloweenchocs · 25/01/2023 20:11

You poor thing - what awful crazy behaviour. I do think this man should be reported. And I would go to the police too - it is so unreasonable to think you can keep the door to the room open and that would be ok. And the reaction is off the charts nuts.

OoooohMatron · 25/01/2023 20:12

I also assume that children were present during this. That in itself is a safeguarding issue surely. Get the fucker banned OP! So angry on your behalf x

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 25/01/2023 20:12

I don’t think that receptionists at a pool (even when they have them) are necessarily trained or paid to deal with threatening arseholes. I’d go to the police over this and tell the swimming school so that they can be ready to provide his details. They ought to ban him.

Starlitestarbright · 25/01/2023 20:12

Yes report it please as a swimming teacher this cannot be happening at all. He sounds like an abusive prick. I had something similar happen to me at a takeaway once when he was drunk calling my physical appearance. He was getting very aggressive wanted my husband to come round. Some men are like that little bullies. I feel sorry for his wife. He will pick the wrong man one day. I must say my dh would have decked him for speaking to me like that had he been with me no hesitation.

bigbabycooker · 25/01/2023 20:12

What a disgusting man.

There are obvious ways to handle getting dressed and getting child dressed - one parent can get dressed by themselves, then take dressed child from outside changing room door from other parent then other parent gets dressed. 2 parents one child, single sex spaces is not hard. You were entitled to get dressed without some bloke around and you were entitled not to be abused for requesting he go elsewhere.

Report to police and swimming school - one day it might help his wife if she needs to prove how volatile he is....

confusedlots · 25/01/2023 20:13

I would definitely report it to the police.

What did the wife say or do when this was going on? If that's the way he behaved I imagine it's quite likely he is abusive to his wife and children, in which case getting the police involved would be beneficial for their welfare also.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 25/01/2023 20:14

If the pool is understaffed this needs to be reported too.

They should have it on CCTV.

Without proof, I'm not sure what reporting it to the police would achieve.

GoAGoGo · 25/01/2023 20:14

UmmmBopDeeDooWhop · 25/01/2023 20:10

A staff member can always be found, even if it means going to the reception.

It's clear you haven't read, or are unable to read, what she has already posted.

Nowhere in her post does she say she tried to find a staff member.

MsFogi · 25/01/2023 20:15

I would report this to the police (as well as the pool and swimming school). The pool and swimming pool should both have policies that they should follow in relation to this (if they don't then complain) and hopefully the police will also follow up.

ElderFloury · 25/01/2023 20:16

God you poor thing.

You're obviously in the right. He knows this and that's why he got so defensive. He won't upload the footage don't worry.

If it were me I would complain in writing to the management of the pool and copy in as many people as you can think of (PCSO? Local councillors, local women's groups basically anyone who would be sympathetic).

BubbleMachine · 25/01/2023 20:16

@GoAGoGo as I tried to explain there is no other staff just the teacher. There is no reception it is in a priamry school pool. I probably could have handed it better, but I think most people when confronted won't handle the situation 100% perfect. We literally got our shoes on and left, as I said it all happened in minutes and I was very much running on autopilot.

There were other families around in the changing room and also in and around the pool. I don't know what they all heard and saw. There is CCTV in the lobby but again not sure if any audio will be recorded.

Someone asked what his wife did - she didn't say anything whilst we changed and she hadn't emerged from the changing room by the time we had got out shoes on and left.

I think that we are going to report to the swimming school and also 101.

OP posts:
UmmmBopDeeDooWhop · 25/01/2023 20:16

Nowhere in her post does she say she tried to find a staff member.
I rest my case.

WulyJmpr · 25/01/2023 20:16

Shocking. You were so brave. Shocking to see how quickly things can escalate to verbal abuse and threats of harm when we try to defend our spaces.

Cocochai · 25/01/2023 20:17

Absolutely report this vile man to both the police and the swim school, however I wouldn’t just report this to the teacher. I would also contact their Head Office as the teacher may or may not have authority or even care about what happened, or if he/she is alone at the venue they might not feel comfortable approaching this man if he is as aggressive and confrontational as he sounds.

I wonder if his wife faces this abuse at home?

Nosecan · 25/01/2023 20:17

💐 this is absolutely awful, I’m so sorry. Well done keeping such a cool head. I’d have broken down on the spot. Please report.

Mars27 · 25/01/2023 20:17

Why on God's green Earth have you not reported him yet?

Of course you need to report it: to the swimming school but especially to the police. The more women complain, the more the police are about to do something regarding this kind of behaviour. He harassed and threatened you, he's a fool if he posts his little video, it will only show the only person in the wrong was him.

RaspberryJamTart · 25/01/2023 20:17

How awful for you. When I started reading the thread I thought ive never known a mum to need verbal help getting a 4 year old dressed, how odd.
I find these days that people (like the staff) shy away from helping in these circumstances as they don't want to get involved, and I guess that if they did then it might escalate the situation and are probably more up for doing something to address the situation via email/phone after the event if they really have to.

unclebuck · 25/01/2023 20:18

I would have reported him immediately and asked them to remove him for harassing me. What a cunt. I am sorry OP. His poor wife said nothing I assume? Helping? Yeah right.

ChaToilLeam · 25/01/2023 20:20

Report this vile man, for sure. And hats off to you for standing your ground. Not everyone is able to be so brave.

TommyJoesMummy · 25/01/2023 20:20

Report this to the police

Eyerollcentral · 25/01/2023 20:20

@BubbleMachine nothing more to add than report to pool and police and well done for standing up to this repulsive bully.

LlynTegid · 25/01/2023 20:22

Your decision as to who to report the matter to is the correct one I think.

MummyJasmin · 25/01/2023 20:22

Report, report, report! Get police involved too.
So sorry this happened to you x

Pollyputthekettleonha · 25/01/2023 20:22

I can't get over the fact that this nutjob thought it was okay to hold the changing room door open while women were getting changed and you would crack on with taking your clothes off while he could see you, and also anyone in the lobby. If I've understood you correctly there were no cubicles and nowhere else to get changed. It's hardly woke, this has never been acceptable. What a wanker . Sorry you went through this. Definitely report this to the swimming company and try and get him banned from attending. And report to the police. Also baffled why someone needs help with changing one four year old. Very strange.

xprincessxjanetx · 25/01/2023 20:23

100% report to police tonight and report him to the swimming company. He should be banned from attending the venue with his DC again. What an entitled and abusive man. His poor wife. In my experience with people like this if she was in agreement with him then she would have mouthed off too. It is quite clear from her silence that she is afraid of him and was probably extremely embarrassed at the situation. I wouldn't be surprised if she "gets it" from him later for not sticking up for him!

Disgusting man and he must be reported!

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