A young woman from Chicago has spoken out after she was harassed by a man at a grocery store, in an incident that was recorded and shared via TikTok.
21-year-old Julia Frank had been out shopping with her mother, Stephanie Ibarrondo, when a man began following them through every aisle. She began to feel uncomfortable, and alerted her mum to the situation.
Unfortunately for this man, he had messed with the wrong mother, and Stephanie swiftly gave him a stern dressing down.
@juliamfrankDon’t mess w mama & her babies.. #fyp #foryoupage #crazy #crazystory #storytime #catcalled #rude #ignorant #livefootage #thathappened #mom #fight #omg
In footage that has been liked more than 2.9 million times at the time of writing, Stephanie can be heard telling the man to ‘stop staring at my f*cking daughter’s ass’, calling him a ‘dirty old man’. Both Stephanie and Julia tell him to get away from them multiple times.
To this, the man replied, ‘Dress like a whore, you should look at a whore.’ Of course, not that this should even matter, but Julia had been wearing a baggy t-shirt and sweatpants at the time of the altercation.
As reported by Buzzfeed, Stephanie then informed a staff member of the situation, and he called for backup. The man in question was escorted from the premises, with employees telling Julia and Stephanie they had watched him exit the store.
Speaking about the assertive way her mother had handled the situation, Julia told Buzzfeed:
She has raised me to be a stronger woman, so I’m able to teach my kids one day how to be strong as well.
She has taught me that no matter what happens, it’s always important to stand up for yourself.
Offering advice to other women who might find themselves in similar situations, Julia told Buzzfeed:
If you feel uneasy in a public place, make your way to someone who can help. Don’t go out to your car alone without watching your back. Always be aware of your surroundings.
In 2018, a survey by Stop Street Harassment found 81% of women and 43% of men in America had suffered some form of sexual harassment during their lifetime.
If you’re experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They’re open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you’re not comfortable talking on the phone.
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.