The Conversation (0)
Harry Fletcher
Aug 15, 2023
TikTok/michaela.witter
A woman filmed the creepy moment a man followed her around a store and appeared to sniff her, before being called out on his behaviour.
TikToker Michaela Witter, who goes by the username michaela.witter on the platform, shared her uncomfortable experience when shopping at a Barnes and Nobel store in the US.
The video showed the “ugly side of doing things solo as a woman”, as the strange incident was caught on camera in plain view.
Witter was recording a video as part of her “100 days of solo dates” series when the 20th day saw a man follow her around a shop.
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The footage shows him getting close to her and crouching down, before appearing to sniff her.
Witter described the experience and said that when she asked the man what he was doing, he claimed that he was tying his shoelaces.
@michaela.witter The ugly side of doing things solo as a woman even in an open public space. Stalking, harrassment, etc. has happened to me way too many times but this definitely ranks top 3 creepiest moments. Please be safe and attentive to your surroundings unlike myself. Unfortunately, as women we have to have all senses aware even in spaces we wouldnt think necessary #100solodateideas #solodateideas #womenproblems #menarescary
After Witter raised his behaviour with members of staff he ended up leaving after realising he’d been found out.
“I ended up being stalked and violated in the store the entire time,” Witter says in the video.
“I noticed a guy was staring at me… It felt like anywhere I moved he kept following me. I recorded in case he was trying to say anything or do anything to me.”
@michaela.witter Replying to @tina the fact that people recognize him and he did the dame thing to them. Digusting. Thank you all again for the kind words. You all are so amazing 💗
The TikToker went on to say: “Then you notice that he goes over and does the same thing to this girl. He’ll crouch down low and pretend that he’s doing something and then smell? I don’t know.
“I feel really violated. He didn’t even touch me, but he was really close. It feels really gross and weird.”
Witter posted a follow-up video where she said she planned on filling out a police report after other people in the comments section said they recognised him and had been subjected to similar creepy behaviour.
“Please be safe and attentive to your surroundings unlike myself,” Witter said, summing up her feelings on the incident.
“Unfortunately, as women, we have to have all senses aware even in spaces we wouldn’t think necessary.”
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