“She Was In Her 50s When I Was 14”: 50 True Stories Of Women Giving Men The Creeps

Creepy doesn't have a gender. It can come packaged as a man or woman. And it sometimes arrives very much disguised.

When people say someone is "creepy," they're often talking about how that person made them feel. Sometimes it's because their personal space was violated, their boundaries were pushed, they were left feeling unsafe, anxious or simply uncomfortable.

"The term ‘creepy’ doesn’t simply describe social awkwardness, nor is it solely about a person’s appearance or behavior," says psychotherapist and author Duygu Balan.

The expert adds that when someone undermines trust, safety, or autonomy, they can come across as threatening. And leave those around them feeling uneasy and intimidated.

Sometimes a person's creepiness is obvious from the start. Other times, it remains well-hidden, creeping out of the woodworks when you least expect it.

But Balan says there are some red flags that signal you're dealing with a creep - whether they're male or female...

The first is when they don’t respect your personal space. "They invade your space by failing to maintain an appropriate distance and moving closer even when you step away," the expert explains. "They touch you without permission, ignoring clear cues of discomfort, such as pulling your hand away."

Another warning sign is when someone struggles to maintain appropriate eye contact.

When dating coach Blaine Anderson conducted a survey of 2,000 women, 51% of all women and 55% of single women said they'd experienced creepy staring in the past 12 months. So what is "creepy staring" anyway?

Balan says creepy people will either gaze into your eyes intensely, or look away when you look at them. They might stare at you when you are looking away, leaving you with an unsettling feeling in the pit of your stomach. In short, their gaze makes you uneasy, anxious, uncomfortable or on edge. It might even scare you.

Which brings us to another red flag: they don't seem to care how they make you feel. More on that further down.

"They don’t respond to your cues of discomfort and disregard your attempts to change the topic, insisting on steering the conversation back to their own agenda," says Balan. "They give overly exaggerated compliments, putting you on the spot and disregarding or simply not caring how their comments land on you."

Creepy people exploit basic social niceties, Balan adds. They love taking advantage of politeness or courtesy... but it often feels manipulative or insincere.

Many creeps are also unable to follow the basic rules of having a conversation with another person. They might interrupt frequently, not care about anyone else’s opinions, or dominate conversations.

Their tone of voice is also "off," says Balan. They're either speaking too loudly or too softly. And they love making inappropriate jokes, or bizarre, passive-aggressive comments. They're basically a not very nice to talk to.

The psychotherapist believes this is because many creepy people lack social skills. "They appear unusually isolated, with no significant social circle or family. They appear socially awkward and lack basic personal skills such as being overly friendly or rude to service staff or others in the community," she explains.

According to Balan, people who can't respect boundaries tend to bring up taboo subjects and/or use provocative language.

"Their behavior may seem as though they take pleasure in making you uncomfortable," writes the expert. "At times they give the impression that if they can’t get positive attention, they’ll settle for negative attention – even rejection – by deliberately pushing your boundaries."