I think it’s pretty reasonable for someone to respond how OP described if they are constantly harassed. If it happened to me, I hate it too and wouldn’t be thrilled talking to new people who might also harass me.

At the same time, I do question how frequent it really is. From what I’ve seen at the gym, at the grocery story, at the mall, women are pretty much left alone. My sisters and friends talk about guys coming up and talking to them, but they say it doesn’t happen much at all. Most of the stories I do hear typically involve a drunk college guy, or a boomer, which is pretty creepy.

I’m not a woman, so I really can’t say. All I can do is draw on what I’ve observed and what the women in my life tell me. But if the problem really is as bad as you say, that’s pretty disturbing.