They just get away with it

[GreekOlive]

I’m angry.

I’m in my 40’s, I run maybe 3x a week in a rural area. I ran past some council workers today undertaking roadworks and was whistled at by one of them.

I should report them. But I won’t. Because if I run again and they’re there, knowing it was me that reported them, I’ll feel intimidated. Again.

I took a different route back to avoid them. I’ll wait until the roadworks are finished until I run there again. Why do men still control me in this way?? Why is this still happening???

I should have stopped and ‘educated’ them… I’m kicking myself I didn’t. But we don’t do we? We just carry on and they get away with it.

Thanks for reading. It feels safe to share this here, when in real life, I’d be told to get over it and take it as a compliment

You have my sympathy. I used to go for my run in the park before 6 am. I stopped because men who were out walking their dogs used to block the path to try and talk to me.

It can't have occurred to them how frightening it was to have a man with 2 rottweilers block a path and try and detain me. I got abuse for not stopping, of course. Enough that it made me apprehensive about encountering them again.

I would report I work in environmental services for my local council and if a written complaint of this nature came in from a member of the public you’d be up the proverbial creek. All employees are regularly reminded that we are the public face of the council. Abusing members of the public would in no way be tolerated.

I have shouted OH FUCK OFF at cat callers in the past but lately I just run off and scratch the back of my head with my middle finger.

I’m just exhausted with it all.

Women are being murdered by strangers whilst living their lives and doing normal stuff. But men STILL think it’s okay to intimidate us whilst we do the same.

I won’t report it because I’ll worry about the consequences to me if they see me again. It’s a remote area where I run. I’m vulnerable.

If you're taking a different route to avoid them, you could report and then avoid them anyway?
I have reported twice and it's tiresome but worth it to drawn a line under the event.

Honestly. Report the fuck out of them. These days they will be in deep shit. You have all the power. If they do it again you go ballistic. They get fired. Don’t talk yourself into not being powerful. Seize it, sister.

I agree with @WorkingItOutAsIGo. Let them have it. Take your power back. They won't do anything. Put your phone on record as you run past. Be proud that you're getting them sorted. Do it for yourself and for every other woman who runs past bellends like that. Be part of the change. It's not a fucking compliment.