How do you deal with public harassment?

Do you mean public IRL, or public online?

@Rarebear IRL

I have never experienced it personally, and if I was a witness to it, I would call the authorities.

My grandsons and I were once seated below a group of very rowdy, foul mouthed people at a baseball game, and I asked the usher to quiet them down, but they got thrown out instead.

It depends upon the situation. If it’s in work, I would report it to my superior and write it up. If it’s outside of work, say on the street, call the police. Or if it’s at a baseball game like Yarnlady said, then talk to security.

@illusionslies Can you be more specific about what you mean by public harassment?

Has somebody been bothering you? In what context? The person doing the harassment, and the context is important in what steps you should take to deal with it.

I had some crazy and/or drunk lady harass me when I worked in the bookstore in the mall. She started screaming obscenities at me, claiming that I looked at her funny. I ran back to the back office. She followed me. For a while, I was afraid that she would physically attack me. She was so crazy acting that I couldn’t trust her not to hit me or whatever. I called mall security and they quickly came and kicked her out of the mall. I was the only person working that morning so I couldn’t talk to my boss or anything.

If someone is being extremely offensive, calling authorities is the best thing to do. Don’t even try to talk to them or get mixed up in their craziness.

I was just thinking—if you’re talking about school, unfortunately it may be a different situation. I get aghast that principals and other school authority will basically tell you to suck it up and learn to take care of it on your own. I’ve seen stuff happen in school that got ignored by the teachers. The kids would have been in juvenile detention if they pulled it outside of school.

To me, public harassment is physical or verbal abuse of another person in public.

When physical violence is threatened or initiated against me, I retreat and find a cop while holding onto my pepper spray. On one occasion I found a police officer and stood next to her until the man ran out of sight. On another occasion I was unable to find a cop but the guy drove off as it became apparent I was making my way towards the police station.

When others verbally abuse me I don’t have the same reaction – I tend to escalate, which tends to be a very bad idea. Especially on a crowded subway car.

When I observe people harassing others in public, it again depends on what type. If it is “just” verbal I tend to mind my own business. But if it is physical or seems to be heading that way – such as seeing a yelling, upset woman backed into a doorway by a larger man – I will say something but not get physically involved myself, as I am small and do not know how to fight.

Hmm…sounds like what my job has become, working at a school.

If anyone is behaving in a threatening or obnoxious manner in public, it scares me and I beat a hasty retreat – because I think they have to have a screw loose, and crazy people are very unpredictable.

Imagine being subjected to that everyday, @Skaggfacemutt, and not being able to avoid it because it’s your job.

@yankeetooter But I do work at a school. I have never been harrassed here. Who is doing that, the students, teachers, or parents?

The students…but the other staff in the room are “rewarding” the behavior…for instance, taking the students to the gym right after they have been highly disrespectful to me the last twenty minutes of class…

@yankeetooter What exactly is happening? We’re having a hard time trying to guess. What do you mean that the students are being highly disrespectful? Can you give us some examples? What do you mean that the staff are rewarding their behavior. Why would the staff take the students to the gym, unless they had gym class? Are they having tea and biscuits? Be specific. We want to help, but this all just sounds so nebulous.

Also, I don’t want to derail the OP’s Q. Can you possibly ask a Q that gives us the specific problems you are dealing with?

Ok, @Kardamom…hold on

@yankeetooter Take your time, dear.

It’s up now, @Kardamom…