Women Break Down The Things Men Do That They Don't Realize Make Women Feel Safe Or Unsafe

Listen up gents, the ladies are speaking.

It's really easy to be a good guy and not scare women.

It's deceptively simple in fact.

Don't be disrespectful and creepy.

Listen when they speak.

No means no.

Go away means go away.

In 2025, why is that still an issue?

Many of you may believe it's not an issue or that you're never the problem... you would be wrong.

Take out your notepads and pens, time for a lesson.

Redditor Lopsided-Rub-79 wanted the ladies out there to discuss and share their thoughts on their personal security around men, so they asked:

"Women, what's something men do that they don't realize makes women feel safe or unsafe?"

Move Aside

"Walking down the sidewalk alongside a stranger, and he shifted over so he was between me and the agitated-looking person we were approaching. Neither of us acknowledged it, but it definitely made me feel safer."

- NeedANaptism

Still Alive Penguin GIF by Pudgy Penguins Giphy

The Big Tree

"The car left the road and ended up in a ditch 20 feet down, tires sitting on either side of a very large root coming out from a tree that was an inch outside the passenger door. The tree was huge."

"Two truckers saw the flying car path and pulled over. They were there to help if needed."

"I was extremely lucky (long drive had dozed off) and assured them I was alright, but definitely unable to move the car. I would wait for morning, it was 3 or 4 am, and walk to get help. I am a 20-year-old 100 100-pound girl."

"Neither driver would leave; they stayed until morning and called a wrecker to come get me. They stayed until I and the car were on the road."

"Neither driver trusted the other to leave me alone."

"I was too naive to understand the sacrifice or even the safety that they provided."

- Sileni

In Transit

"I used to live in a city where a good chunk of people, myself included, got around via walking and public transit. I went on a lunch date, and the guy kept insisting on walking me home. I get that maybe he thought that was the chivalrous thing to do, but that would mean this dude, whom I had only met once, who was insisting on overriding my 'no thank you,' would know where I lived."

"I tried to say no thank you and leave, and he just... followed me, repeatedly asking me where I lived. Even if you think what you're doing is romantic or chivalrous or for her safety, if you ignore her expressed no, that's going to feel unsafe."

"My solution was to pretend I was taking the subway home and have him walk me to the subway station. Then I went down to the platform, waited a bit, and carefully popped my head back above ground once I thought the coast would be clear."

"The bus driver, who was eating his lunch by the station when I went down, saw me come back up, did a double take, then looked all around before yelling, 'You're good girl, he's gone.' THAT guy made me feel safe."

- Corvusenca

The walk back...

"I had a stranger follow me into a gas station after i was done pumping gas. This middle age man overheard our conversation of me telling the man no multiple times. The stranger was trying to ask me out and the middle aged man pretended to be my uncle. He walked me back to my car after I had paid for my energy drinks, and i couldn't thank him enough. Walking women back to their cars is a very kind gesture."

- ladybird6969

The Backside

"Being cognisant of how an unknown man can be in the middle of the night."

"I was walking home at 2am - backpack, dress and earphones (with nothing playing - that way I can hear what’s going on around but it’s a convenient excuse if someone tried to get my attention)."

"Suddenly I feel a hand on my arm. Jump back a meter and turn around."

"This guy also jumps back and raises his arms in 'I’m not going to hurt you kind of way.'"

"And then he apologizes for bothering me and tells me that my dress has ridden up behind my bag and I was completely exposed."

"Poor guy was so nervous about scaring me but wanted to make sure I was safe!"

- JustHereToRedditAway

BLOCKED

"I freak out if someone intentionally blocks my way out. Like, that's when full panic kicks in."

"So, if that's your last pathethic attempt to get my phone number or flirt with me. No. You blocked my flight, now I have to fight you, and it will make us both uncomfortable."

- ChaoticMornings

Block Grandma GIF Giphy

A True Gent

"I was on closing shift after a wedding. Usually we were there til 1am but the guy I was on with wanted to go out to town after we finished so him and I worked super hard to finish early."

"Got out about 12:10, and drove home. About half way, in the middle of nowhere, my car lost power. I had pulled over to the side of the road and had my blinkers on. I was standing at the roadside in the pitch black, calling roadside assistance when a car slowed down and parked a bit away from me. I was nervous, didn't know who I was gonna encounter on the road at that time of night."

"A guy started walking up to me... turns out it was the guy with whom I had closed, on his way to town to meet his friends. He waited til I made plans with roadside assist, then took me all the way home. About 45 minutes of his time. I'll never forget that. He was only young, early 20s. He could've driven past and pretended he didn't see me, but he was a true gent."

- sophakorn

Neighbors

"One night I got off the bus at a not-common stop behind a male passenger, and we both started walking in the same direction. After a minute, he suddenly turned to me and told me the street address where he was going so that I wouldn't think he was following me. I was very touched that he thought to do that. (Turns out we were neighbors :-) I don't expect most people to have that sort of awareness, but it was very thoughtful and reassuring."

- Reasonable2aPoint

Oliver...

"I had a fantastic interaction with a Domino's delivery driver recently. I usually step out on my porch when I know something's about to be delivered so my dogs don't lose their minds. When the driver saw me he said very loudly, 'Hi, this is Oliver approaching with a delivery from Domino's!'"

" And he kept up a loud conversation, kind of narrating every move he made before he did it. It made me feel like he was aware that I could be uncomfortable with a man walking towards me in the dark, and he took steps to make sure that I knew he was there and that he wasn't trying to sneak up on me. That all made me feel pretty safe."

- magpies4vega

Move Aside

"I really really hate it when men physically block me or corner me to force me to listen to whatever they are trying to tell me. It happens to me at work a lot and feels like a huge power imbalance."

- barmitzvahmoney

pushed move over GIF by Blindspot Giphy

CREEP

"Once, I had an Uber driver, it was a shared ride, and the two back seats were occupied, so I had to sit up front. The driver’s demeanor was so off, and he looked so aggravated… yelling at traffic. When one of the passengers got out, I said I would head to the back, and he said 'Why? I’m not a creepy guy.'"

"Guys, when you say 'you’re not a creepy guy' even with the correct intentions, you come off as a creepy guy and girls immediately have their guard up."

- Molasses_bratt

The Dude

"When I was 20, I was on a cross-country flight on my own and had the middle seat… because last-minute trips are fun! I had iced out the middle-aged dude on my right by putting headphones in and reading a book on my Kindle. As we were descending the sun started to come in through the window just right to make it impossible to see. The guy in his late teens on my left just casually sat forward until his head cast a shadow over my screen. I glanced over, he gave a little half smile, and we both went back to what we were doing. Dude had a good chunk of social skills for a teenager."

- BresciaE

Twins

"This guy from my class once saw me walking to class on the side of the road and offered a ride when it was pouring rain out. He started out casual, but got increasingly upset that I would rather walk a mile in the pouring rain instead of just getting in the car."

"Turns out, he was offering the ride to my twin sister, who had never met him."

- tinyevilsponges

Good Advice

"Unsafe: Stand way too close, like I have literally had dudes stand so close to the point where their shoulders are touching mine, and this isn't in a crowded space, this is just... out in the street."

"Safe: Just... Not being weird about women. It's cliche advice, but just treat women like people. I don't know how exactly to describe it, but with some guys, you just immediately get that vibe that he doesn't see women as people, so for a guy to NOT be like that, it makes him feel like a safe person."

- Popular-Style509

Davey-Mode

"I once told an old boss he was being aggressive because he was standing over me and yelling. He proceeded to go 'I’m not being aggressive, I’m in Davey-mode.'"

"If someone tells you you’re making them uncomfortable you should probably stop and ask what you’re doing that’s making them uncomfortable. I never trusted that man ever again with anything."

- AssassinStoryTeller

No Way Baby GIF by MOODMAN Giphy

Well, all of that was succinct and to the point.

Nothing too difficult to understand.

Any questions?