Anxiety-inducing footage captures a woman recording herself upon realizing a man is trailing her. Her intuition proves accurate
“Take a look at the gentleman behind meâthis is the focal point of our discussion in this video. It’s an unfortunate reality that seemingly secure public spaces can swiftly transform into threatening environments for women. Is it fair? No. Is it commonplace? Undoubtedly, to the extent that an increasing number of women are capturing instances of stalking or harassment as a stark reminder to stay vigilant in their surroundings.
One such woman is Lacie (@lacie_kraatz). On April 11th, during her run, she noticed a man exhibiting suspicious behavior ahead of her. The situation escalated when he somehow maneuvered behind her. Concerned for her safety, she took out her phone and began recordingânot just to validate her experience but also out of genuine fear.
In the video, she starts, ‘Hello. I’m making this video to raise awareness among women. See this gentleman behind me? Yeah, this is what this video’s about.’
According to Lacie, they initially ran in opposite directions, but after noticing her, the man halted in the middle of the trail, waiting for her to pass so he could follow her from behind.
“Now, I can sense your question: ‘Why do you think he’s tailing you?’ Lacie elaborates. ‘Let me explain. I was strolling along, minding my own business, when I glanced up, and there he was, constantly glancing back over his shoulder, like this.'”
Lacie even made an illegal crossing to create distance when the “do not walk” sign was still active. Glancing over her shoulder, she observed the man visibly accelerating to keep pace.
Lacie decides to run to dispel any doubt, and sure enough, the man follows suit. Fortunately, he eventually gives up, although he watches her from afar. Lacie makes it home safely, but her intended three-mile run is cut short.
“I couldn’t even finish my run,” she concludes. “I only ran like a mile and a half. I wanted to do 3 miles, but noâcreepy Today, males had to be f scary men.”
In the comments section, numerous women expressed empathy, highlighting the unfortunately common nature of such experiences.
“What I do when I’m being followed is act feralâbark, growl, and flail my arms around,” one commenter said, describing their unusual strategy.You’re doing it right if you seem crazy.”
@lacie_kraatz #foryou #ladies #awareness ⏠original sound – Lacie
Another voiced frustration, stating, “Men that make me feel uncomfortable doing things that I NEED to do for my health and well-being irritate me more than anything else, man.”
Readers also offered practical advice, from locating nearby police or fire stations to using different running trails or informing the first visible passerby about the situation.
The prevailing advice emphasized leveraging public spaces and modern technology for safety. One comment encouraged women to confront those following them, saying, “Girls, we need to make it natural to turn around and scream at people who are following us. Let them know, you know, take pictures of them, scream, make a scene.”
While it would be ideal if such disconcerting encounters didn’t occur, the reality is different. Nevertheless, the positive aspect is that women are increasingly vocal about these situations, making them easier to detect early on and enabling women to navigate them safely.”
Source: upworthy
