What do I do?

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  • jonathanthewlis
    jonathanthewlis Posts: 143 Member
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    All above is fantastic advice, but just don’t let him put you off your work outs!
  • SamBoling
    SamBoling Posts: 93 Member
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    What's so hard about telling an elderly man you're not interested? He'll leave you alone.

    There this thing the people have. It’s called feelings...normally you don’t want to hurt them. Lol

  • SamBoling
    SamBoling Posts: 93 Member
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    Definitely not overreacting. Find another gym asap. Or file a complaint with the gym, ask for the manager and state that you’re being harassed. If he approaches you can always say something like ‘I’m busy and don’t have time’ and walk away. That should get the message across clearly. Or you could *loudly* say ‘Not interested!’
    You do not owe it to be polite in this situation. If none of that works, file a police report.

    NO! Don't find another gym. He is the one being creepy and inappropriate. As women, we are subtly trained to not make a scene. So, we change gyms, we change seats at a bar if a dude keeps "accidentally" brushing our leg, we laugh off inappropriate come-ons when we are really creeped out. No. We should not have to accommodate an asshat. The asshat should have to make the change.

    Basically how I’ve been responding.
  • Jimb376mfp
    Jimb376mfp Posts: 6,232 Member
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    He’s a Dirtty Old Man...PERIOD!

    After months of news reports on sexual harassment how can he realize what he is doing? Stop and let him know you don’t want him to talk/stalk/creep etc etc.
  • tirowow12385
    tirowow12385 Posts: 698 Member
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    SamBoling wrote: »
    What's so hard about telling an elderly man you're not interested? He'll leave you alone.

    There this thing the people have. It’s called feelings...normally you don’t want to hurt them. Lol

    It's all good, he's 50, hes developed coping mechanisms, hes probably half expecting to be rejected.

    How he feels isn't your concern, it seems you want him to be just friends, maybe even less and nothing more and you need to communicate that clearly. Good luck.
  • betty_veronica4
    betty_veronica4 Posts: 196 Member
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    SamBoling wrote: »
    Definitely not overreacting. Find another gym asap. Or file a complaint with the gym, ask for the manager and state that you’re being harassed. If he approaches you can always say something like ‘I’m busy and don’t have time’ and walk away. That should get the message across clearly. Or you could *loudly* say ‘Not interested!’
    You do not owe it to be polite in this situation. If none of that works, file a police report.

    NO! Don't find another gym. He is the one being creepy and inappropriate. As women, we are subtly trained to not make a scene. So, we change gyms, we change seats at a bar if a dude keeps "accidentally" brushing our leg, we laugh off inappropriate come-ons when we are really creeped out. No. We should not have to accommodate an asshat. The asshat should have to make the change.

    Basically how I’ve been responding.

    Stop doing it. It's how we are conditioned, but you don't have to. If you are creeped out, as hard as it is to say, please stop. Say it. You will feel so much better and stronger.
  • marissafit06
    marissafit06 Posts: 1,996 Member
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    SamBoling wrote: »
    Let me ask this-I’m going to be leaving in about a month to go back to the mainland (I live in Hawaii) and won’t be returning because of college. He knows this (yes I regret telling him. Don’t judge) because when I had said something about leaving one day he asked what I meant, I told him. (This was before he even started regularly doing volleyball with me so not weirdness at that point) Should I just ignore it until I leave? Seeing as it’s not much time left?

    And with being short and blunt in telling him to go away, it’s not that I don’t want to...but with me being silent when he has made those comments for the past couple weeks, I think he thinks I’m okay with. And I know that that is my fault, I should’ve said something, but it’s usually not my kind of personality. And then on top of that, he’s talked about how he gets angry/has anger problems. He said once about how was angry when a girl turned him down and how he was so angry he could’ve done something. (That convo was the first to send up red flags everywhere!) So I’m concerned about his response to me telling him to “back off” or “leave me alone”.

    Absolutely not. You need to report it ASAP.
  • marissafit06
    marissafit06 Posts: 1,996 Member
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    I have to disagree with those who advised you to find another gym. Maybe if the situation escalates and you worry about your safety. Otherwise, he's the one who needs to leave.

    In a perfect world, she should not have to switch gyms, I agree with you. But sometimes, even if the police are notified, that guy might still be around. He might even get a power trip once reported, it’s impossible to know what his reaction to being reported will be. Safety first, I think.

    Sorry but I think I made it clear that she needs to be concerned about her safety. If it comes to that. But her having to automatically be the one to leave (and she’s since stated that it isn’t an option) because of his grossly inappropriate behavior? Great Bolshy Yarblockos to that.

    I agree that she shouldn't have to leave, but am wary of a creepy old man stalking her an things escalating.
  • makinemjellis
    makinemjellis Posts: 91 Member
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    kam26001 wrote: »
    jellis432 wrote: »
    kam26001 wrote: »
    jellis432 wrote: »
    Men suck.
    Please don't cast a shadow over an entire sex because of one individual's perverted actions. The majority of men would have words for this guy if they knew of his inappropriate behavior.

    don't you dare "not all men" me.
    if you're a man that doesn't suck, you know that isn't directed at you.
    Every woman I know has gone through something like this, if not worse. So until that changes, men suck.
    I am right there with you in your frustration. However, I still believe that the majority of people are good. Even during these times we're living in. I refuse to give up faith in that.

    I guess I had a difficult time understanding how such a sweeping statement directed toward a select few would benefit the OP in dealing with her situation.

    Solidarity. Co-misery. Whatever you want to call it.
    And if you read the rest of the comment, I also gave her advice.
  • betty_veronica4
    betty_veronica4 Posts: 196 Member
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    Motorsheen wrote: »
    Just start talking to him about crossfit or your vegan diet.

    That should be enough to scare any sane person away.

    Or keto.
  • huntersvonnegut
    huntersvonnegut Posts: 1,176 Member
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    Motorsheen wrote: »
    Just start talking to him about crossfit or your vegan diet.

    That should be enough to scare any sane person away.

    Or keto.

    Or how you had your dog neutered 'cause he kept trying to hump things that didn't want to be humped.
  • SamBoling
    SamBoling Posts: 93 Member
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    caco_ethes wrote: »
    OP- I’m glad to see you are still here and hashing this out with us. I feel like you are legitimately desperate for help.

    I also understand that you don’t want to be mean. Everything you have said so far has been my exact experience. I ended up in therapy so I could get help reestablishing boundaries with my coworker after he took my niceness and ran with it.

    So this might sound silly, but I want you to try something. Go look in a mirror and say to yourself out loud “I am okay with being seen as a jerk for the sake of establishing boundaries”. Or another variation: “I am not responsible for his feelings.” and also “I am worth protecting my boundaries for”

    Like I said, you’re likely going to feel silly. But it really does help. Say it until you really believe it.

    And if you think we are blowing this out of proportion, then take it one conversation at a time. Come up with a catch phrase like “I’m not going there” when he gets inappropriate. Repeat it every single time he’s inappropriate. Be dead serious. Don’t giggle nervously.

    Bottom line is he’s taking advantage of you because he doesn’t respect you.

    No, it’s not silly. It makes sense. And I already do tell him “I’m not gonna go there” but he just laughs whenever I say that. So idk.