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Young Woman Realizes Shes Being Followed by a Creepy Man So She Did the Smartest Thing She Could Think Of
Uplifting News

Young Woman Realizes Shes Being Followed by a Creepy Man So She Did the Smartest Thing She Could Think Of

It should go without saying that women don't like being followed by strange men at night. But one young woman Lacie Kraatz (@lacie_kraatz), is going viral for posting a video of a man stalking her — in broad daylight.She was understandably terrified. So here's what she did about it.She Was Just Trying to Exercise It's 2024 and thankfully as a society, most of us have come to realize it's not a woman's fault if she's being stalked. It doesn't matter what she's wearing! Every woman should feel as though she can go out in public without fearing for her safety!Sadly, this isn't always the reality. Harassment can happen anytime, anywhere. Even when you least expect it.Which is exactly what happened to coastguard Lacie Kraatz when her 3 mile run got cut short.It was the middle of the day and in public place, but that didn't stop a total stranger from following her.Kraatz shared how she had run past a man jogging in the opposite direction of her. As she was approaching him she felt a knot in her gut.She Knew Something Wasn’t RightHe kept "peeking" behind him — as Kraatz put it — waiting for her to run into his eye line. "Peeking" is a lesser-known tactic men use when they want to "check out" a woman, in the most discreet way possible. At first, she thought maybe it was all in her head. She ran past him and it seemed like she was in the clear. After all, they were going in opposite directions.Then he stopped in the middle of the trail. The strange man turned around and began running behind Kraatz. She got a pit in her stomach. She hoped he would turn off and take a different trail. But he didn't. He stayed with her. When she quickened her pace — so did he. After a few clever manoeuvres to lose him, it was clear this definitely wasn't all in her head. So she did the only thing she could think of. She got out her cellphone — and started filming.She Filmed Herself for Her ProtectionThe video opens on a heavy-breathing Kraatz. She's decked out in black running gear and has slowed down to a brisk walk. The camera is angled over her shoulder. A short distance away is a figure walking behind her."See this gentleman behind me? Yeah, this is what this video’s about.”Lacie Kraatz, TikTok Instead of calling a friend or family member, Kraatz decided to document the interaction for her protection and the protection of other women.The video teaches viewers a valuable lesson of what impending danger can look like in real time — and why it's important to prioritize your safety over "politeness."Watch Lacie Kraatz's Video The Comments Section Blew Up With Safety TipsThere's no shortage of safety tips out there for women traveling alone when they're in a sticky situation."What I do when I’m being followed is act feral,” one person shared. “Like I’ll bark and growl really loud and flail my arms around. If you look crazy, you're doin' it right.”@lacie_kraatz, TikTok commentNever let a first date pick you up. When you're walking to your car, keep your keys between your fingers to use as a weapon. Share your location with friends. If someone is following you, pretend to be on the phone. Never stop for strangers. Keep the lights on after you fall asleep — and the list goes on and on.But women are banding together to "normalize making a scene," as one comment put it — when they are feeling unsafe in a public space.Prioritize You Safety Over Being PoliteOne of the biggest problems women can face in moments like these, is shockingly, the fear of being impolite.Studies show that most women feel compelled to be compliant in situations that make them uncomfortable. They prioritize other people's comfort just to be agreeable — even if it's to their own discomfort.Kraatz's first instinct was to dismiss her gut feeling. Maybe she wasn't being followed. But when it became clear this certainly was the case, she was able to follow her instincts and run away.Instead of being worried that the man chasing after her would have hurt feelings, she prioritized her own safety and it paid off!Her confidence is an important reminder for all genders, for how to act quickly in scary situations. More from Goalcast:22-Year-Old Maintenance Worker Hears a Mother’s Scream – Uses His Army Instincts to Save Her Baby’s LifeBus Driver Follows Her Gut After Seeing Little Girl Wandering the Streets Alone—Those Instincts May Have Saved a LifeActor Jake Johnson Recalls His Mom’s Crazy “Gut Feeling” That Saved His Life

Woman's Drink Is Drugged, What Bar Staff Does Next Is Lesson To Everyone
Everyday Heroes

Woman's Drink Is Drugged, What Bar Staff Does Next Is Lesson To Everyone

Thousands are raising their glasses to a bar that went to incredible lengths to protect its female patrons.Cut the music Bars are often seen as a place to unwind, see old friends and meet new ones. At their hearts are the bartenders who schmooze and serve their clients. One curious Redditor named xXSlimi_Gacha009 asked mixologists about their wild reality. “Bartenders of Reddit, what was the weirdest/craziest thing you have overheard while making someone’s drink?”Their answers ranged from hilarious, to awkward, to disturbing. Then, Redditor Pinkyfitts shared a story that blew up the thread. It took place at a bar in New Orleans called Tipitina's, a spot he described to Bored Panda as "not fancy, but has great music and is usually crowded."He says that things were humming along until suddenly the lights went on and music stopped. "We have a report that someone in the room possibly drugged a young lady's drink. We request that all women here immediately put down your drink and don't take another sip"- Reddit User"We will replace your drink for free. If you are that young lady, we will notify you when you come to the bar. If anyone else is feeling sick or weak please let us know."As the action was kept on ice for over an hour, patrons applauded without a complaint. CheersThe viral post gathered over 7,500 mostly positive comments. "Man if I heard a bar that did that, that would be my go-to bar forever. Love it," said one."I am so grateful that this place took it so seriously! Not only did they save a life or an assault from happening but they drew awareness to everyone there! Bravo!"- ic3sides197, Redditor "Bar owners worldwide: THIS is what you should all be doing!"Safety is sharedOver the years, bars have taken patron safety far more seriously. Organizations like Bartenders Against Sexual Assault teach members how to respond to harassment and recognize if someone might be drugged. Some bars have even placed a Friends-themed sign in the bathroom, instructing customers to ask for Rachel if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable. While bars and clubs might have VIP sections, safety belongs to everyone. That includes being safe from being abused, drugged or taken advantage of. And just like the good people of Tipitina's showed, when you take drastic action to make things safe, everyone feels the love. "This made me tear up a bit. I love when we take care of each other"- spacekadette814, RedditorUplifting news:Domino’s Worker’s Perceptiveness Saves Woman From Clutches Of Abusive ExRude Client Rejects Single Dad For Bringing Daughter To Work, Community Has Best ResponseMother Quits Destructive Habits and Loses 129 Lbs After Powerful Wake-up CallOutraged Dad Stands Up For Daughter Sent Home From School For Her Outfit

Woman Escapes The Worst By Noticing Chilling Detail During Interaction With Stranger
Uplifting News

Woman Escapes The Worst By Noticing Chilling Detail During Interaction With Stranger

A viral TikTok video is part of a growing conversation about women's safety on the streets in the wake of Sarah Everard's tragic disappearance.Creepy guy takes photo of her addressTikTok user @heysheybae was doing the most normal, and seemingly safe thing possible — she was walking her dog in a park in broad daylight. But in a video posted this week, she explains how as a woman, she was unfortunately still at risk."Two years ago, I was walking my dog in a park and a man approached me and asked [to] take a picture of her," the video begins.She said 'yes,' because dogs are cute and deserve to be photographed. But then she realized something was wrong. The man wasn't taking a photo of the dog, but of its collar which had her address on it."So I told him that I actually didn't feel comfortable with him having a picture of my dog, and I asked him to delete it."Simple enough, right? She wasn't feeling comfortable so she asked for the man to delete it — in other words, she said no.He wouldn't delete the picIn a second video, heysheybae explains how the man proceeded to delete the photo and walk away, really quickly."And I was like, excuse me sir," she recalled. "Could you also go into a deleted album and delete it from there?"But the man protested. "I don't have a deleted album," she recalled him saying.But her quick-thinking helped again — she noticed he has an iPhone and thus a deleted picture folder.So she continued to try and convince him to delete the photo as he tries to walk away. People in the park started staring, and the guy finally said "fine."He looked down at his phone, did something for a second and said, "There, it's gone."Heysheybae asked for proof, and after some more debate, he let her see his phone. Of course, there the photo was, still in his deleted folder. So she asked him to delete it once and for all. "What if I hadn't noticed that he took a picture of my address," heysheybae wondered aloud. "And what if I went home and then that night I took my dog out to pee, he was outside waiting for me. I mean."She's never 'asking for it' (unless she literally asked for it)Sadly, this story is far from unique and many other women have been posting about how their quick thinking helped them out of these kinds of situations. Can I talk to the men out there for a quick second? Guys, we have to step up. We have to do everything possible to make women feel comfortable out there because we're all human beings and in no case, not ever, no matter what she's wearing, is a woman 'asking' to be harassed. Thankfully, more women are speaking out and sharing their situations, but sadly, situations like this and what happened to Sarah Everard prove that we still have a long way to go.More uplifting news:Woman Narrowly Escapes Tactic Used By Human Traffickers By Walking Into TJMaxxAlert Streamer Pretends To Be Woman’s Friend To Save Her From Creep Following HerHeroic FBI Investigators Rescue 33 Missing Kids From Child-Trafficking PredatorsPerceptive Flight Attendant Saves Teenager From Clutches Of Human Traffickers

Quick-Thinking Man Acts Like Woman's Friend To Save Her From Potential Assault
Everyday Heroes

Quick-Thinking Man Acts Like Woman's Friend To Save Her From Potential Assault

One Tik-Toker's improv job saved a young woman from a potentially dangerous situation.Creep-up on aisle 5Brandon Roberts was walking through a mall when he spotted something disturbing across the room."You could tell just by her face she was quite frightened"- Brandon Roberts “I noticed an older man hitting on a very young girl, she was around 19 years old,” he told 'In The Know'. The man "appeared to be intoxicated or on drugs" and was touching her. Sensing the urgency, Roberts hurried towards them. Aunt Claire to the rescueBeing "a little scared" of the strange man's behaviors, Roberts flipped on his camera as he approached them. What followed was an awesome display of ad-libbing. “Oh my God, hi,” Robert says in the video, talking to the girl in a familiar way. “How are you?”.The girl appeared to pick up on the ruse immediately and acted like she knew him.“My aunt is here, do you want to —,” Roberts asked, giving the girl a pretext to leave.“Aunt Claire?” the girl replied, “Let’s go.”They hurried away, with Roberts walking her safely out of the store and to her car. Brains over braunOnce away from the scene, the grateful girl told Roberts that the man "asked if I want to go back to his place", adding that "it was so creepy … thank you for helping me.”Roberts hopes the video - which has over 33 million views - can serve as both warning and playbook to others."I thought [a video] like this would show that these things do happen and how people can help"- Brandon RobertsA little help goes a long wayWe see these situations and assume that intervening involves confrontation, or using brute force to whisk someone to safety. While that might work in the movies, both Roberts and the would-be victim show that a little awareness and creativity can lead to a positive outcome. More uplifting stories: Woman Narrowly Escapes Tactic Used By Human Traffickers By Walking Into TJMaxxStranger Risks Her Life To Help Woman Escape Ax-Wielding Attacker Chasing HerDomestic Abuse Survivor Marries The First Responder Who Saved Her LifeBest Buy Employee Confronts Shoplifter And Gets Offered Dream Job By UFC

Dad Who Almost Ignored 'Nagging' Wife's Text Saves Baby's Life Thanks To It
Motivation

Dad Who Almost Ignored 'Nagging' Wife's Text Saves Baby's Life Thanks To It

Moms often get criticized for worrying too much, but one self-proclaimed #carseatcopmom's shows that being precautious can be a very good trait -- and she has an amazing story to prove it.A good kind of "nagging"Rebecca Tafaro Boyer had spent every second with her baby William since he was born. But after three months, she allowed her husband, David, to take the infant out for a drive.Rebecca had one request for the excursion: David had to provide "hourly updates and recaps" on how little William is doing.David did exactly that. In one update, he sent a photo of William in the car seat. The problem was, dad hadn't set the car seat up properly."My nagging wife reply was to correct William’s position in the car seat - the straps were too loose and the chest clip was way too low," Boyer said in a Facebook post. "And because I know my husband, I’m sure that he laughed at me and rolled his eyes before tightening the car seat and fixing the chest clip."Disaster avertedFifteen minutes later, Boyer got a phone call.“Honey, we had a car wreck. We are fine, but the car is going to be totaled.”The boys were less than three miles from home when a woman pulled into oncoming traffic to make a left turn and collided with the Boyer car. David was going 50 miles per hour and didn't have enough time to break.Miraculously enough, William was just fine in his car seat. He didn't even wake up."My precious little bundle of joy was so well restrained in his car seat, THAT HE DIDN’T EVEN WAKE UP."ReRebecca Tafaro Boyer wrote on Facebook"Even with the impact of the two cars, William only received a minor jolt -- so insignificant that he was able to continue on with his nap, and then spend the next two hours flirting with nurses in the Le Bonheur ED."But David didn't make it out unscathed. His foot was broken in three places, had three dislocated toes, and left the hospital on crutches."The car is a loss, but cars can be replaced - my boys can't," Boyer added.Being precautious is a good thingThe moral of the story here is that a mother's instinct is very often right and while it's easy to criticize moms for being overly paranoid, that tendency can sometimes save lives. Being safe and cautious is not necessarily a negative trait, especially when it comes to trusting your gut. Surely, Boyer isn't making any apologies for her cautiousness."I am so thankful that my husband took the extra one minute that was necessary to put William in his car seat safely," she concluded in her Facebook post. "I can’t even begin to imagine how different the outcome could have been.""I truly believe that the reason my family is at home sitting on the couch with a pair of crutches instead of down at the hospital is because of my annoying nagging mom voice."Rebecca Tafaro Boyer wrote on Facebook.For more info about car safety visit safekids.org.More uplifting stories:4 Years Ago, He Was Homeless–Today, He Bought His First HousePoor Man Who Missed Job Interview To Save A Life Had Employers Lining Up To Hire HimDomestic Abuse Survivor Marries The First Responder Who Saved Her LifeBrooklyn Landlord Cancels Rent For Hundreds Of Tenants, Setting An Unprecedented Example For Others