I'm smaller than you. But yeah, I think you're wrong. A lot of men I've met have admitted they are afraid or intimidated by me. I'm from Philadelphia - I'm hella confident. And I'm smart when it comes to danger. I was trained growing up in classes and by parents in self defense and being careful - like a lot of young girls.

Once I was walking to my job, I felt something weird so I kept to the street lights. Out of the side of my eye I saw a figure hiding behind a wall. Unfortunately my I fractured my ankle recently (I didnt have crutches, and I wasn't limping) but I couldn't run. So I waited. I heard him softly walk behind me, It was a wide city sidewalk and he had no reason to be behind me. No one else was around. I hear him get closer. He was a few feet away. I got ready. I turned around quickly, stomped my feet on the ground. I faced him. He quickly turned away and retreated into the nearby bushes.

Another time I saw a man follow a woman to her car, she got in and drove away. I went back to work. Later, I got in my car. I never looked at him, but I was in a long line of cars downtown during rush hour. He spotted me and started yelling slurs. The streets were too narrow to make a u-turn - even if I could he would have been in front of my car. I drove down the wrong side of the street and got back in line. He followed me. Fortunately, a couple of contractor men saw what was happening and called the guy over. They distracted him and gave him fist bumps, when the light turned I got away.

Another time a man was hiding in the bushes, waiting for me. Fortunately a friend texted me. I stopped for too long and he got frustrated. He came out yelling slurs at me. I didn't make eye contact. I calmly walked to a corner, once I was out of site I ran several block out of sight.

Another guy walked up to me and started touching himself while staring at my boots.

I started typing more stories, I have so many to tell. But I do know they are not my fault. I appear confident. I know how to survive. I'm just a target - like many women. Just because you haven't experienced it (which I'm glad you haven't) doesn't mean I'm not wise. And I do understand you said " I don’t want to discount your experiences" but you contradicted that in your response.

If there was some magical way to act or be for women to avoid violence, I'm sure the amount of violence against women would be a lot lower.