surveillance

hilary

There’s a particular sort of harrassment that’s usually so low level that I literally forget about it – until the next time, or until it gets just a little more intense. I’m going call them ‘Hoverers’ – men who hang around just a little too close when I’m on my own in public. They say nothing, don’t touch but you know they’re keeping an eye on you. This morning for example I went to the beach early while it was quiet, put my bag down then went for a swim. as soon as I’m in the water a guy appeared, European-looking in his 60s, wearing Speedos – he put his towel down about 20 metres from mine. He started patrolling from his towel to just beyond mine (the beach is a mile long) back and forth the entire time I was in the water. His route got progeressively shorter until he was walking about 2 metres around my stuff, then he just stopped by my stuff. I got out of the water, picked up my stuff and walked to the other end of the beach – where a different man started a similar (less aggressive surveillance). To a lesser degree I can expect some sort ‘Hovering’ behaviour whenever I go to a quiet beach or park on my own. I know from past experience that these men are seeking contact so a direct challenge just gives them permission to engage in conversation. If I acknowledge this behaviour openly I get angry, the man gets some gratification and I end up thinking about it a lot, so I refuse to even let the guy catch my eye. I am so used to this (I’m in my fifties and started noticing this behaviour when I was 13) that I can ignore it so well that usually I literally don’t notice it. How can you complain about someone standing too close to your stuff while you’re swimming on a public beach?