Self defense/staying safe in public places

self-defense/staying-safe-in-public-places

Hi everyone,

I had a weird incident over the weekend where a man followed me into the women’s bathroom at a bar. He would not leave and stood outside the stall waiting for me for quite a while. I fortunately had my phone and was able to call my boyfriend who was in the bar to come in and get him out of there. The man took off running when my boyfriend came and immediately left the bar.

Anyways, nothing happened and I can’t accuse this man of anything, but it did leave me feeling unsettled. What if my boyfriend hadn’t been there? What if I hadn’t noticed the man follow me? I have had a bad experience in the past so I am feeling really triggered, and want to find a way to ensure I am safe in the future.

I have researched pepper spray and believe it’s illegal in the EU where I live. I’ve never owned it and might feel a bit nervous carrying it anyways, but a friend had suggested I look into it. Any other ideas or thoughts on how to deal with this and be more prepared or safe?

Thanks in advance ❤️