AITA for breaking a man’s nose because he apparently didn’t know what “Stop”means?
A Redditor shared a tense story about a grocery store encounter that turned physical after a man ignored her requests for personal space. While heading to her car, she noticed a man who had been following her around the store and began making intrusive small talk in the parking lot.
Despite her repeated requests for him to leave her alone, he continued to approach her, eventually standing just inches away. Feeling panicked and trapped, she instinctively broke his nose with a palm strike before quickly getting into her car and leaving. Read her full story below for more details.
‘ AITA for breaking a man’s nose because he apparently didn’t know what “Stop”means?’
See what others had to share with OP:
Do you think her reaction was justified, given the man’s refusal to respect her boundaries? How would you respond in a situation where someone ignores your requests for space? Share your thoughts and opinions below!
Honey, you did GOOD! He deserved what he got. You were defending yourself. His next move would have been to grab you and attempt to kidnap or rape you right there. Maybe he’ll think twice next time he sees a good looking woman. I wish more women knew how to do this. Feel good about yourself, you saved yourself from something worse.
Proper response to a situation that was escalating. Good job! Your friends have never been in a similar situation and don’t understand how to respond. Please report to the police that you were being accosted and threatened (not listening to you to get away and getting closer is a threat). Guarantee that he has done it before. This way you can positively identify him in the security cameras. If you have a chance to take self-defense classes, go for it. You will learn other techniques.
I would have done the same.
You are NTAH. There are so many men out there who just will not take no for an answer. WHY? I know how it feels to be cornered/intimidated by an aggressive man like that, many women do, and perhaps we all do…I don’t know what we have to do to get aggressive men to stop this poisonous behavior. It seems that they continue because they get away with it. I wish all the decent men would have a serious talk with anyone they know to behave this way, instead of brushing it off or pretending it’s no problem. How would they like their wife/daughter/mother/sister to be threatened like this?
Good for you!! Btw..that is called a palm strike in Tae Kwon Do. One of the first self dense moves taught. Don’t be fooled..it can kill. You did great…
The only other thing you should have done was to give him a hard knee strike in the groin the second his defenses went down from the nose strike. Car keys, held between the fingers pointed out, with a well placed fist to his face would have worked well also.
Good for you! You don’t owe that pathetic excuse for a specimen of male humanity a single thing. He was a threat. You told him multiple times to leave you alone. He deserves what he got
NTA! Boxing you in and being imposing when you have stated you feel threatened and asked him to stop is called assault. And you absolutely did the right thing.
Years ago I had one of my Tae Kwon Do students told me about how another of my students (17f) had defended herself similarly though nothing broken. I asked her about it and told her a have never been more proud to be her teacher.
Justified.
Maybe if more women defended their boundaries the way you did creeps would get the message. My Dad had zero sympathy for my brother when he tried to pressure a girl he liked into going out with him and she gave him a black eye.
This poor woman – she was stressed and panicking for very good reasons – and her so called ‘friends’ are saying she’s an ah!! Girl, you need better friends.. I for one am very proud of you and your actions and hopefully this creep will think twice about trying anything again.
I would question my friendship with anyone who didn’t approve of your response.
The only other thing I might have done was call 911 when I got in my car to report the incident so he couldn’t claim assault against you. He did have your license plate #. Also that would get a report against him if he ever tries this again.
Speaking as a 67 year old male, well done.
Absolutely NTA – and what you were wearing should not come into the conversation. He was in the wrong, you reacted appropriately – well done for protecting yourself.
He was threatening her, and she defended herself. She told him multiple times to back off, and each time he got closer. His statement mocking her for wanting him to back off is an implicit threat, and physically boxing her in like that is a clear physical threat. Anyone who tells her otherwise is not a friend.