Brave woman shares powerful message to group of men and their despicable behaviour outside a Woolworths
An Australian woman knocked down a group of young men who repeatedly whistled at her as she walked alone to her car after a concert.
Jeannine Baird said the group made a “deliberate attempt to intimidate a lone female” at Cronulla Mall, in Sydney’s south.
In an open letter, she said she was walking through a dimly lit Woolworths car park after a recent Brass Monkey concert when the group attacked her.
‘I was fully covered and wore a hat and scarf (over my outfit). I was wearing jeans and low block heel shoes. I have graying frizzy hair,” she wrote on Facebook.
Ms Baird also posted a photo of herself so that “no one will blame me or try to imply that I somehow tricked you into behaving this way.”
Jeannine Baird (pictured) said a group of young men made a ‘deliberate attempt to intimidate a lone woman’ at Cronulla Mall, in Sydney’s south.
She then reported the matter to Sutherland police in the hope that CCTV would reveal their identities.
Ms Baird said she hopes other women with similar experiences feel brave enough to make statements.
“The more we challenge their attempts to embarrass or frighten us, the more ridiculous and cowardly their behavior will become,” she said.
‘We women have the right to feel safe, whatever context we find ourselves in. On the streets, in locations, in our homes and schools, churches and clubs.’
She also addressed the men who made her feel uncomfortable with their shouting.
“I pray that your mothers, sisters, and future girlfriends, wives, and daughters will never experience anything like this, or worse, and that in the future you will be able to say something when one of your friends decides it’s funny to be in her to whistle one at a woman, when you are in the safety of your gang,” Ms. Baird wrote.
Social media users thanked the brave woman for speaking out.
‘So perfectly said. “I’m sorry you got into this situation, thank you for standing up for yourself and all women,” one person said.
“I pray that one day a post like this will never have to be repeated again, because everyone has learned to live with respect for each other and their right to feel safe.”
“As a mother of a son, I hope he would NEVER behave like this,” wrote another.
“No woman in our country should feel afraid or intimidated walking alone,” one person said.
Social justice activist Janine Hendry, who founded the March4Justice movement, said the problem is that men strive to assert dominance over women by intimidating them.
She said that some young men learn this kind behavior from their peers or from their family environment, explaining that they often “force” on each other, thinking it is funny, without thinking about the consequences.
“This happened quite late at night… they don’t make a woman feel safe in her own space. It’s about controlling how people feel, and that’s because men feel very powerless in another area of their lives,” Ms Hendry shared. Yahoo.
At least 35 women are believed to have been murdered by men in Australia this year
At least 33 women have reportedly been murdered by men so far this year.
Melissa Perry, CEO of White Ribbon Australia, said there is no place for harassing or predatory behavior in our society and women have the right to feel safe at any time of the day or night.
She said the events Ms Baird described speak to men’s sense of entitlement, which allows male violence to thrive.
She also said that men need to be part of the solution to end gender-based violence, and that they can do this by making it clear that sexism is not okay.
“This isn’t anything new, but the rise of so-called online influencers like Andrew Tate is filling the gap in the narrative as ‘good men’ fail to make it to stand-up and call out misogyny, harassment and sexism wherever they go,” said Mrs. Perry.
“Domestic homicide or sexual assault are extremes, but incidents like this, where a group of boys make derogatory comments about a woman, reinforce harmful attitudes and behavior.”
