The day of your proposal is one you’ll remember for the rest of your life, usually filled with love, romance, and joy. But for some people, it becomes unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.
Redditor u/Cautious-Rabbit recently opened up to the ‘True Off My Chest’ community about the traumatizing events that were seemingly part of a proposal plan. She was fake-kidnapped and brought to her boyfriend, but instead of a romantic look on her face, the woman was flushed with fear after the mortifying experience. Scroll down to find the story in her own words.
Hardly any fear-inducing scenario feels less stressful when it’s considered “a joke”
Image credits: MART PRODUCTION (not the actual photo)
This woman was fake-kidnapped for a proposal that left her shaking with fear
Image credits: Kipras Zabeliauskas (not the actual photo)
Image credits: MART PRODUCTION (not the actual photo)
Image credits: MART PRODUCTION (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Cautious-Rabbit-
Image credits: Anastasia Shuraeva (not the actual photo)
Any proposal requires thorough planning, as every detail has to be carefully considered
Most of the people who want to get married have likely dreamt about the perfect proposal. Whether it’s you getting down on one knee or being on the receiving end, you might have created all kinds of possible scenarios in your head. In such plots, you have to think through hundreds of details, as so many things depend not only on you but on what you believe your partner would like as well.
Some people choose something romantic and intimate, often involving flowers and candles. Others go for a more adventurous option, and propose on a hike or right after they’re done with white water rafting. There are also people who enjoy the excitement of a large crowd and pop the question during a basketball game, for instance. The possibilities are endless, which is why a few might choose to do it in a more unconventional way.
The OP’s boyfriend had planned a proposal that involved fake kidnapping, which ended up being far from the most well-thought-out plan. Likely arranged for the element of surprise before the romantic moment, the kidnapping was not only shocking but completely terrifying as well. By the time she was taken to her boyfriend, the woman was understandably stressed and scared out of her mind.
Image credits: Leah Kelley (not the actual photo)
Stressful events can have a strong negative impact, even if they’re staged or carried out as “a joke”
Experiences like this can seriously traumatize a person. During the year 2021 alone, roughly 195,000 of females under 21 and nearly 63,000 of those over the age of 21 were reported missing in the US. Such numbers make the thought of being kidnapped alone absolutely terrifying, not to mention actually being taken into a stranger’s car.
Such stressful events can have long-term negative effects. Even if they’re fake or deemed “a joke”, a person in the OP’s situation doesn’t know that the threat is not actual, which makes their experience and emotions very much real.
Studies show that the psychological consequences of physical assault often involve strong feelings of anxiety, fear, and anger, as well as depression or hypervigilance. Moreover, research on stressful life events and disease risk pointed out that such events are likely to have a negative impact on one’s physical health as well.
The redditors in the comments provided the OP with much-needed support. Luckily, she also had her sister by her side after the terrifying experience. According to the American Psychological Association, seeking social support from those who empathize with you is one of the best ways to cope with a disaster or other traumatic event.
Bored Panda has reached out to the u/Cautious-Rabbit via Reddit, and we’ll update the article once we hear back from her.
The OP answered some of the redditors’ comments
Members of the online community were very supportive of the woman
The driver can cooperate and apologize all he wants. He was present. He could have pulled over the car at any time, he could have called the police if he thought he couldn't stop this on his own. This is just despicable.
Exactly, instead of trying to calm them down, he could've literally STOPPED the car get in the back, and explain what's happening. Instead he let his friends assault this woman and scare her half to death.
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I hope all those involved are prosecuted to the fullest extent. Intentions don’t matter here. She was kidnapped, she was terrorized, she was sexually assaulted, she was abused. Now she is traumatized and forever scarred. It's misogynist, sexist that the “men” thought it would be okay to visit a woman's worst nightmare upon her as a “joke.” This is the behavior that leads women to mistrust all men. She sure as hell can’t trust her fiancé anymore—these people with such poor judgment are his friends? The trauma is compounded by the knowledge that the man who “loved” her and is supposed to take care of her, protect her, orchestrated this assault, this violation. That relationship is ruined. How will she ever be able to trust any man ever again? This woman will suffer lifelong consequences for what they’ve done. I hope they suffer similarly.
"This is the behavior that leads women to mistrust all men." Repeated for emphasis.
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I worked at a convience store when I was younger. The store was rather busy, right off interstate. Police and state troopers drove by constantly. Law enforcement and regular customers kept an eye on me because I worked nightshift alone. There was a busy truck stop on the opposite side of interstate so it was never really dark and quiet. I was bored one night and went out to sweep litter from the parking lot. The dumpster was around the side of the building. As I emptied the dust pan in the dumpster, someone grabbed me and slammed me forward into the side of the dumpster. The next seconds are a blur, years of wrestling with my sisters and the neighbor boys taught me to drop towards the ground and I slid down out of his arms. He grabbed the back of my coat and a fist full of hair. I threw myself forward out of my coat and my hair ripped out of the back of my head. I ran. I mangaged to get into the store and lock the door and hit the panic button. (cont)
The police arrived in a matter of minutes they flooded the parking lot. When they played back the store video's you could see someone peaking in the window watching me before I went outside. I saw his face in the video, he had disappeared into the woods behind the store and police didn't catch him. A few years later I saw his face on T.V. it was Samuel Little one of the most prolific serial killers in America. You never know what might happen and escape isn't always guaranteed. A self defense course is always in a woman's best interest.
Load More Replies...
The driver can cooperate and apologize all he wants. He was present. He could have pulled over the car at any time, he could have called the police if he thought he couldn't stop this on his own. This is just despicable.
Exactly, instead of trying to calm them down, he could've literally STOPPED the car get in the back, and explain what's happening. Instead he let his friends assault this woman and scare her half to death.
Load More Replies... I hope all those involved are prosecuted to the fullest extent. Intentions don’t matter here. She was kidnapped, she was terrorized, she was sexually assaulted, she was abused. Now she is traumatized and forever scarred. It's misogynist, sexist that the “men” thought it would be okay to visit a woman's worst nightmare upon her as a “joke.” This is the behavior that leads women to mistrust all men. She sure as hell can’t trust her fiancé anymore—these people with such poor judgment are his friends? The trauma is compounded by the knowledge that the man who “loved” her and is supposed to take care of her, protect her, orchestrated this assault, this violation. That relationship is ruined. How will she ever be able to trust any man ever again? This woman will suffer lifelong consequences for what they’ve done. I hope they suffer similarly.
"This is the behavior that leads women to mistrust all men." Repeated for emphasis.
Load More Replies... I worked at a convience store when I was younger. The store was rather busy, right off interstate. Police and state troopers drove by constantly. Law enforcement and regular customers kept an eye on me because I worked nightshift alone. There was a busy truck stop on the opposite side of interstate so it was never really dark and quiet. I was bored one night and went out to sweep litter from the parking lot. The dumpster was around the side of the building. As I emptied the dust pan in the dumpster, someone grabbed me and slammed me forward into the side of the dumpster. The next seconds are a blur, years of wrestling with my sisters and the neighbor boys taught me to drop towards the ground and I slid down out of his arms. He grabbed the back of my coat and a fist full of hair. I threw myself forward out of my coat and my hair ripped out of the back of my head. I ran. I mangaged to get into the store and lock the door and hit the panic button. (cont)
The police arrived in a matter of minutes they flooded the parking lot. When they played back the store video's you could see someone peaking in the window watching me before I went outside. I saw his face in the video, he had disappeared into the woods behind the store and police didn't catch him. A few years later I saw his face on T.V. it was Samuel Little one of the most prolific serial killers in America. You never know what might happen and escape isn't always guaranteed. A self defense course is always in a woman's best interest.
Load More Replies...
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