Women Share Moments Men Intimidated Them Probably Without Even Being Aware Of It (42 Stories)

Interestingly, this post was actually a preparation for a speech Honnung needed for school. "My friends and I have spoken about the subject many times and thought nothing of it," the Reddit user told Bored Panda. "When I later talked to my boyfriend, he admitted that he and his friends never really thought about it. I have personally been in many situations where men do things that freak me out and I wanted to see what experiences other women have; plus it would be good for men to hear the thoughts we don't really say out loud."

Since releasing the post, Honnung has realized that a lot of women have the same experiences and fears and that this is a really serious topic. They've also learned that many people, especially men, get offended by the fact that women are afraid of seemingly unimportant things. "There were a lot of fights in the comments between men trying to justify their actions and women holding them accountable. I thought it was just a matter of ignorance but I see now there are a lot of people who just straight up refuse to listen."

According to Jodi Lane, a University of Florida sociology professor, such fears are especially common in women who are domestically abused—if they’re hurt by men they love, they're afraid strangers could hurt them, too. But there are other reasons why women live with more fear than men do.

First, women are scared any crime could lead to rape. "The fear of sexual assault is shadowing every other fear," Lane pointed out. Men are not nearly as likely to be raped as women.

Second, women are physically weaker than men. Women fear they can’t fight off an attacker, especially as they get older.

Third, women are socialized to be afraid. "All the things parents tell their children socialize them that they should be responsible for their own safety," Lane explained. "We socialize girls to be terrified. We socialize boys to be tough."

Honnung believes that the matter of being scared is a little complicated. "I am almost sure that the fear has grown since the Internet became a thing. Women share experiences; stories about men getting into their cars, onto balconies, videos of men just harassing women on the street. And for some, this might just be a quick video you see on Instagram but for many, this is a big warning for what's out there in the world," the Reddit user said. "'And even if this one man won't try to attack me in the street at night, the next one might. Or the next one.' You never know so you generalize and fear everyone."

However, the author of the post thinks that with every generation, the relation between men and women is improving. "We talk more openly and the correct use of the Internet (like with this post) can give women a chance to talk in a (mostly) safe space and a chance for men to listen. For the most part, [it looks like people are ceasing to brush it off] as just 'something that happens' which is a big step in the right direction."

At the end of their speech, Honnung said something Jodi Lane would have really liked: "We have to, instead of just teaching our daughters to be afraid of the world, teach our sons how they can make it safer."