Supermarket

Lou Warren

|

When I was between the ages of 16-19(aprox 15yrs ago) I worked part-time on the checkouts at a large supermarket. To get between the staff entrance and the checkouts you have to go through the staff areas (quiet, non customer areas) near the counters. There was an older male that worked on the deli counters who was a friendly guy, always said good morning and asked how you were. We became friends enough to make small talk about what we’d been up to etc. Soon after that he would give me a hug after we chatted. I never had a problem with this as I’m a “hugger” myself. But within the space of 2-3 weeks (I worked 2 days a week) I found myself in the very uncomfortable position of this man now holding on to the hug and kissing me on my lips. I felt I couldn’t do anything to stop this and I had absolutely no idea if I could or who I could talk to. It went on for weeks and weeks until I left the job. I vividly remember one occasion when another male member of staff came around the corner and saw this man holding on to and kissing me. He just said “oh, ok” and turned around and walked off. I’ve never told anybody any of this before. Partly because how do you? And partly for fear of people asking why I didn’t do anything about it or why I let it happen.

Jo

|

Sometimes little things are very telling. When I go to the supermarket, 9 times out of ten, the man in front of me at the checkout doesn’t put the shopping divider in place, it doesn’t even occur to them, they always expect me to do it. I have never noticed a woman not doing it. When a man does do it, I always think to myself ‘he must be a considerate chap’ and smile being somewhat reassured that not all men are so selfish – just 90% of them.

Beth

|

Walked to local supermarket to pick up some groceries after work. I was followed around the aisles by two men making lewd comments towards me. Tried to tell a staff member at the shop who said ‘ah they’re my friends, ignore them they’re just being funny’. Seemed even less funny when they followed me home. Hate that I had to have my husband come meet me outside the house.

Anna

|

Today I was in the supermarket whet that guy started to blink at me from the other side of the hall in a creepy way. It was nauseabund. I gave him a ‘you are disgusting look’ and kept going, but at the same time watching where he was in case he decided to come clse to me to keep on being creepy. Why don’t those guys just masturbate a bit if they are so alone the can’t help but behaving like that? It would do so much good to us all (them and us)!

anon, via email

|

As a woman with large breasts i get cat called a lot. I have to go out of my way to pick an outfit that doesn’t make it look like i have big boobs. I get cat called so often when i walk around town that i made a highscore system for the most times i get called or my boobs get stared at (i consider staring more than 5 seconds), the highscore is 23 times in a 20 minute walk from one end to the other of town. I look dead at the guys eyes and they don’t even know I’m looking at them because their eyes are somewhere else. I get horns beeped at me and calls out the window and whistles. Words like “nice tits”, “dammn”. I think the staring bothers me the most. Once in Tesco i snapped because one guy stared directly at my breasts and smirking too. As i walked towards him his eyes not not shift. I walked straight up to him and asked what his fucking problem is and he still smiled and stared so i asked again then heard security behind me. They removed me from the store even though i explained what happened they didn’t care. Now when you have large breasts covering them just isn’t enough if i wear a turtle neck jumper u can still notice the girls. (Not that I should have to wear a high cut top anyway).

Olivia

|

I work as a personal shopper for a grocery delivery app partnered with Whole Foods Market located in Brooklyn, NY. I interact with the product restocker employees there on a daily basis as my job requires when I need a particular item for an online customer. I had been receiving unwanted attention from a few male employees but one that stood out was this man who had an insistent but joking tone that I find the two of us an apartment to live in together. He had asked me this request a few times until he felt comfortable enough to inquire whether my pubic hair matched my blonde head hair. This man was easily 20 years older but I brushed it off as simple curiosity because I wanted so badly to shield myself emotionally. It wasn’t until I told my boss about what happened that I realized that this man was escalating his behavior and that something should be done. My amazing boss recognized the inappropriate behavior and explained to me that he would speak to the Whole Foods managers about this employee so that I wouldn’t have to deal with it myself. As amazing as his response was I still began to feel an overwhelming sense of guilt and shame for trying to protect myself. I explained to myself that it was the right thing to do and I found out later that they had spoken to him and they described him to look guilty despite his denial of the circumstances. He immediately stopped speaking to me and avoided me at all costs. My boss explained that he is now more afraid of you than you are of him. Realizing this makes it a little bit easier when I face others like him now.