Chuggers target 91 women for every 6 men

[Hundredacrewoods]

www.canberratimes.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/street-harassment-for-a-good-cause-20180801-p4zuu1.html

Long overdue article about how chuggers almost always approach women (91 women for every 6 men in the observation period), use gendered intimidation tactics and take advantage of women being socialised to be 'polite.'

I always wondered what these 'Chuggers' were.

I've never met one. Now I know why.

The beard, permanent scowl and brisk marching pace probably help too.

We regularly have a dog charity with some shiny cheesy-smiled who regularly uses "Hey gorgeous. Do you like dogs? A gorgeous girl like you obviously loves dogs!"

1. I'm not gorgeous, I'm clearly showing my age. You and I both know it.
2. I'm 40, I'm not a girl. I don't look remotely young enough to in 'girl' territory. Again; you and I both know it.
3. How can you possibly assume from my mere appearance that I look like I like dogs?
4. Fuck off

One came to the door with a trainee and asked would I donate to a deaf children's charity

When i said no thank you ....she said oh do you not care about deaf children?

And i said no, i dont think she was expecting that

(I do obviously)

And another was rude to me ...stupidily rude as i was interested in signing up....but she blew it and now ive no time for them any more

(My success at deflecting them with my appearance differs with the season...but i have resting murderer face soooo....)

I've worked in charities for years and have trained Street and door to door fundraisers.

I've never known of an agency over here telling fundraisers to approach women with prams. If I found out my fundraisers were doing that is bollock them. I've bollocked fundraisers for using street fundraising to pull women.

A few years ago UK research found that men signed up to women and vice versa. So if there are lots of male fundraisers Vs female the figures don't entirely surprise me.

Fundraisers aren't allowed to block your way and I don't think they should ever be putting their arm round your shoulder. There are strict rules set down by the fundraising regulator.

Bad fundraisers annoy the hell out of me. I once told one I didn't give a shit about baby seals. 😁

My youngest tells me I am rude to the very occasional chugger who catches me. He's not used to seeing me saying anything slightly controversial.

I have (sadly) had to overcome my pleasant socialisation by my family. Chuggers have been a blight on high street courtesy. Them and the big issue gang that now operates locally rather than the solo guys who I would chat to sometimes.

Oh, I had a Dogs Trust one who when I blanked her, said 'But don't you like dogs?'

I took great pleasure in telling her 'No, I don't'. Her face as I walked off was a picture

(I actually do like some dogs, so long as they don't smell and are well trained. Definitely a cat person though, and have had a standing order to the CPA for many years.)

It baffles me that people stand and listen and give their details to these people. You do not need to be polite!

Another chugger magnet here. I am susceptible to signing up if people are pleasant and friendly, unfortunately. What I hate, though, is being patronised by young men - the "hello, darling" or "hello, sweetheart" routine. I am not your fucking darling or your sweetheart, I am old enough to be your mother and what is more I am a professional woman with a PhD. What have you done with your life?

Obviously I don't say any of that...

I completely ignore chuggers, and if they come to the door (my door is solid so can't see it's them) I just tell them I support other charities and shut the door.

I'm a magnet for them. It's because if someone meets my eye I automatically smile without thinking first, then I notice they're a chugger and think ffs I've done it again.

I stopped a few times, until someone from Amnesty International became really rude and quite aggressive when I told him I worked for a large bank. Never stopped after that.

I try to completly blank them. Very little of the money goes to charities, this practice should be banned.

I had the 'will you help save a child' too from the Children's Society too - I had given a one off donation but declined to set up a direct debit. This woman then rang me a few days later to pressure me into setting up a direct debit and when I again declined, went off on a rant to me about how I didn't care, etc. I made sure they did not have permission to contact me again. Awful attitude.

I told amnesty I wouldn't sign up because their policy on prostitution is anti-women.

Thanks for posting this. I was wondering the other week when I was walking through town, saw some chuggers and instinctively thought of walking directly behind a couple of men to avoid getting picked on, I'd never thought of it before then

I hate ignoring approaches (yes to socialisation!)

One thing I do if I'm on my own and feeling relatively outgoing is to make eye contact early but with a shake of the head while not slowing down maybe even speeding up a bit.

I ignore. I completely ignore. I blank them beyond blanking. They don't exist.

2010. My Dad had died the day before, after 5 months of watching him suffer after multiple strokes. I'd just been to the council offices to register his death and I just wanted to go home. I was tackled by four different Amnesty International chuggers within a single short pedestrianised section of the high street. They would all have been able to see that I'd walked past the previous chugger. The last cocky shit decided to up the ante, block my way and ask me if I cared, at all, about people who were wrongly imprisoned, or was I happy to just go about my nice cushy life?

I'll let you imagine the rest.

So now I block, I blank, I ignore, I don't give a shit about what they personally are campaigning for. I campaign and donate to what I believe in. I do monthly direct debits for two charities of my choice, and donate my time to a local volunteer social group for elderly people.

Gosh, two other people having problems with Amnesty International...those posts went up whilst I was typing. I wonder if aggressive tactics are their MO? The shitbag who tried it on me got way way way more than he bargained for. I'm actually quite glad now that I've read they have form for it!!!

We've often had people with buckets outside our local supermarket. I will sometimes give, or not, as i feel.

I give a reasonable amount to charities i have chosen so do not feel i need to give to everyone who asks.

The last one I saw was different. He engaged me in conversation with a chat about why i might have supported a poppy charity before, out of respect etc.

I was rushing to get somewhere, iyvwas very hot, I was struggling with shopping and a small child in tow. It just felt very manipulative.

His colleague was sitting down smoking and i just felt if i am going to support a charity, as i do, i will choose it!

Didn't know the term chuggers but it really fits!

Sociopath they are not campaigning as such in my mind as it is their paid job. It's a world away from volunteering.

The reason I'm not usually rude to them is that, after all, they are just people doing a job. They get paid according to how many people they sign up. Charities employ them because they're effective. New data protection rules make it hard for charities to approach people in other ways, and cuts by government to local council services mean that often charities are overwhelmed by demand. I would guess that most of us, at one time or another, have been helped by a charity or have a close relative who has been, so perhaps we should be a little less hostile.

If it's paid, then they might be on commission, I guess. That may explain some of the more manipulative tactics - like used car salesmen.

I wonder how many people are put off going to their local shopping centre or high street, because of chuggers? Sometimes I can't be bothered dealing with them, and end up ordering what I want online instead. I can't be the only person who has been put off going into town...

Ignoring them IS playing nice, I think.

I wonder what the figures are on how much people give to charity by gender

I doubt they break down their figures by gender. Sex maybe, but not gender

I have also given a flat ‘no’ when asked ‘do you like dogs?’ It’s the only time I’ve ever seen a chugged speechless .

I don't like them I don't actually agree at all with them being on the high street it sometimes feels like a bullying tactic. I've had them cross over to the road I'm on before and I've carried on walking for one to follow me shouting "excuse me miss" over and over until I disappeared into a shop.
Yet my dad who is 6ft4 and big seems to never be approached by them

I hate the ones that talk via my kids - "ooh you'd want to look after poor dogs wouldnt you"
i do a very firm no thank you that my friend tells me is indistinguishable from fuck off
Otoh my DH cant walk away/say no so if stopped he listens to the whole speel