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46% of women worldwide don’t feel safe walking alone. Many of them endure creepy advances from men, which can be a nerve-wracking experience. 

But as bad as it is, it is likewise satisfying to hear stories about these creeps getting brutally shut down. These are personal anecdotes that women shared when a user posted a short Instagram reel with the text: “I want your most unhinged way you shut down a creepy man.” 

Here are some of the best responses. If this is a problem you regularly find yourself in, perhaps you can take a cue from some of these posts.

#1

Woman confidently standing at bathroom sink, illustrating amazing women brilliantly shutting down men's creepy advances. Well I had a creep who wouldn’t leave me alone at the laundry mat. He kept following around. When I went to the bathroom. I heard him talking to people waiting for me out there. I came up with a grand idea! I came out zipping the front of my pants and did the thing guys do when they “adjust”. His eyes got so big and his mouth dropped. Then in my deepest guy voice I said “You going next?” While pointing to the bathroom. Then act suprised I spoke in that voice, then tried to switch it up. He ran from me saying “HELL NAH IM GOOD BRO.” My mom was there and she still laughs about it.

misstwiggixo/ Report

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    #2

    Young woman in a green shirt confidently reacting in a bright room, representing amazing women shutting down creepy advances. The very first thing you say is "first of all, you need to brush your teeth" and the way it KNOCKS THEM DOWN

    lilithshouseofvintage/ Report

    Zig Zag Wanderer
    Community Member
    7 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I like Dirty Harry's remark to his biss after being shouted at "You might want to change your mouthwash, because your current one isn't cutting it."

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    #3

    Close-up of an amazing woman expressing fierce emotion while brilliantly shutting down men's creepy advances. I mean you've heard of people barking, I literally just started screaming bloody hell in the middle of a train station. The guy booked it with mach 3.

    killsfae/ Report

    Kombatbunni
    Community Member
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I like you, can we be friends? 😂

    It’s bad enough that many women feel unsafe walking around outside of their homes. Even online, they experience various forms of creepy advances from men, whether privately or otherwise. 

    According to a 2020 report, 58 percent of girls and young women have experienced some form of harassment while online. 

    #4

    Young woman wearing a black beret and coat standing outdoors, symbolizing amazing women shutting down creepy advances. A work colleague had a niece who got exposed to in a local park. She looked him up and down (trying to memorise his appearance) and then said “three” which made him think a bit, and then she said “out of ten”. She went home, told her mum, and off to the police station and gave them a good description of him. She was 13.

    life.is.a.ditch/ , Marius Muresan Report

    Lady Eowyn
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Reminds me of an incident some time ago, a guy was flashing women joggers on a popular path, and one woman just laughed at him.

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    #5

    Person in red pants and black shirt with hands cuffed behind back, symbolizing shutting down men's creepy advances. technically not the same because this was my long term ex, but he destroyed my stuff when i was trying to move out so i reported him to the state police and got him and his dad arrested for concealing his illegal firearms

    milly__august/ Report

    #6

    Hand holding a sanitary pad against a plain background illustrating amazing women shutting down creepy advances. I am too hold and recently I saw a comment where a lady received an unsolicited dp. She sent back a photo of her used feminine products.

    ginny_vanessa_rowlings Report

    Daisydaisy
    Community Member
    Premium
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh I really like this one! 🤣

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    It may seem easier to shut down an online creep than it is to do so face-to-face. However, it may not be as simple. As licensed marriage and family therapist Amanda Ferrara tells Bored Panda, women will need to consider potential consequences they may experience after rejecting someone. 

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    #7

    Young woman making a skeptical face outdoors, representing amazing women brilliantly shutting down men’s creepy advances. He asked me " Why do you have to behave like a man?" I looked him dead in the eye and responded: "Well, someone needs to be the man in this situation and it clearly won't be you"

    egvarbanova , engin akyurt Report

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    #8

    Close-up of a smiling woman with red lipstick, representing amazing women confidently shutting down men's advances. I clack my teeth like a zombie. My cat used to do this at animals in the yard and it worked to get them away from the window so I went with it

    jiejeuju/ Report

    Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
    Community Member
    Premium
    7 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hey! What's a nice zombie like you doing in a place like this?

    #9

    Young woman smiling confidently while talking, showcasing how amazing women brilliantly shut down men’s creepy advances. A friend tells guys, “I gotta go take a huge poo" to get rid of men when she is out.

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    “Before sending a single sentence, online rejection involves weighing the risks,” Ferrara said. “How might this person respond? How might they escalate? How might they continue to push?”

    Ferrara adds that many of her clients spend “a great deal of time” crafting a single sentence. Their goal is more about minimizing the risk of retaliation than softening the rejection.

    #10

    Woman wearing sunglasses on city street expressing strong emotion, illustrating amazing women shutting down men's creepy advances. Went full on velociraptor on him in public, screamed and chased him a few blocks down the street

    adriaromero1307 Report

    #11

    Close-up of a woman’s wide eyes expressing shock, illustrating amazing women brilliantly shutting down men’s creepy advances. open your eyes extremely wide, like scarily wide, and then smile as big as possible. scares the fuck out of them. some smile movie shit

    viphobic Report

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    #12

    Young man with mustache and goatee, wearing a patterned shirt, in a dimly lit indoor setting, representing creepy advances context. I elbowed a man in his stomach when he stood behind me in a mc bar club being wierd and scary trying to flirt , i was 15 he was around 30.

    racoon_booboo/ Report

    Gadaffi Duck
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    19th bday, some guy aged 30+ tried to feel me up on the dance floor at a club so I walked away. He tried to feel me up at the bar, I walked away. I went outside to smoke he came out trying to feel me up and bouncers refused to step in UNTIL I battered the scab. I got removed for self defence and he was allowed to stay despite s****l harassment, S.A, a*****t etc. This was 20yr ago in the UK.

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    If you’re someone who regularly experiences these forms of harassment online, Ferrara says “clarity without emotional engagement” often delivers the best results. This simply means that brief, straightforward statements of rejection work better than long-winded ones that include explanations. 

    “The more words we use to explain, the more opportunities we have to keep the interaction going,” she said.

    #13

    Man in plaid shirt looking confused outdoors, representing creepy advances and amazing women shut down moments. State into space in his general direction and have an unhinged conversation with an imaginary being. Bend down and put your shoes on the wrong feet and instruct him to do the same. Make eye contact and silently begin picking your nose....I had to ride the NYC subway for years for early morning hospital shifts and I never had issues because I figured out how to out-weird everyone

    joyjoy_ny Report

    Mark Alexander
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Rule #1: Don't fvck with crazy. Men are taught that very early. It's visceral. It'invokes Fight Or Flight Response and NOBODY wants to fight crazy.

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    #14

    Woman with red nail polish holding a silver cross pendant, symbolizing strength and confidence in shutting down creepy advances. “Have you come to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?”

    linda_frankish/ Report

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    #15

    Older man in a black shirt gesturing while sitting outdoors, representing creepy advances faced and shut down by amazing women. Creepy older dude approached me and starting trying to "flirt", looked him up and down and said Uncle Todd??? he ran (we weren't related and I don't have an uncle todd)

    batmac23/ , Andy Quezada Report

    Zig Zag Wanderer
    Community Member
    7 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Could be an attraction for some creeps, though!

    Actions hold more weight than words, and it applies to deterring creepy advances, according to Ferrara. She noted that rejection often doesn’t deter the other party from pushing the issue further. Instead, she recommends taking the next step and changing privacy settings. 

    “The more effective option has been a short rejection and then moving away from the issue very quickly, all for the aim of limiting the other party’s access,” she said.

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    #16

    Young woman cashier in red shirt and apron working at grocery store checkout, demonstrating confident and amazing women strength. I was working at a grocery store as a cashier, man came up and laid his pens on the counter. I hit it as hard as possible with a can of tuna. He left before the cops got there.

    robinboyle50/ , Getty Images Report

    Zig Zag Wanderer
    Community Member
    7 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Assuming a penîs, not pens, that's a perfect response!

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    #17

    Man in a light green sweater with raised hands showing rejection, representing women shutting down men’s creepy advances. Pointed from across the parking lot and started barking and then running at him. He left pretty quickly

    finley_the_fiend/ Report

    Charlotte
    Community Member
    9 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hold on - what was he doing that was offensive from the other side of the parking lot?

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    #18

    Young woman in a gray shirt covering her mouth, showing discomfort, highlighting amazing women shutting down creepy advances. I burped loudly at him while he was talking

    kay.la.la.lah/ Report

    Bur*
    Community Member
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I burp loudly at them while I'M talking. And also say burp with my burp, then keep going like nothing unusual happend. ✨️

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    #20

    Young woman in a red top holding a phone outdoors, illustrating amazing women shutting down men’s creepy advances. Unhinged: barking at him. Also: put my back to them, take out my phone and start taking selfies with him in the middle and immediately texting them to somebody.

    melodeeus Report

    ongreenlevel
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I’m going to try barking, it sounds effective

    #21

    Woman in a beige coat on phone looking cautious while walking outdoors, illustrating amazing women shutting down men’s creepy advances. I know someone who was walking down the street in her college town. She was being followed. She slowed down and when he was closer she turned around and put her cigarette out on his face.

    melindabrody/ , Andrej Lišakov Report

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    #22

    Young woman with tattoo enjoying ice cream outdoors, exemplifying amazing women confidently handling creepy advances. Once a guy was like (I was eating an ice cream)"what else can you lick?" I looked him straight in the eyes and said "your blood once I offer you to raavanasura"

    phanivedha/ , Curated Lifestyle Report

    Lotekguy
    Community Member
    Premium
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Unless this happened in India, you should have gone with Satan. You might have been assuming to high a level of sophistication in the creep.

    #23

    Jumped on a bench, took off my shoes and waved them in the air screaming like gollum. Worked for a bear in the past, works for men now.

    maiastout Report

    #24

    Man with tattoos on back and shoulder sitting shirtless near window, representing creepy advances in social contexts. Ask him if he's ok doing a back shaving ritual in front of my family to earn my virginity. He will need to shave the backs of every male in my family, and show them his junk to prove he's man enough. How does Saturday at midnight sound?

    kirsten_harrison_montesi/ , Mizuno K Report

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    #25

    Women confidently addressing and shutting down men’s creepy advances in a crowded party setting. I was approached by a guy at the bar. I wasn't interested, but the conversation was quite harmless. Then I went dancing by myself, but he and his friends tagged along shortly after. Then he leaned towards me and asked me with a soft voice: "Do you want to hear a secret?" I rolled my eyes and prepared for the worst. He whispered into my ear: "You look hot and you dance great." I blinked and responded without thinking: "That's not a secret. The entire bar knows I'm hot and I dance great." He couldn't get a word out of his mouth. I guess he wasn't ready for my confidence. I walked away and he remained silent in the upper secondary school.

    spunky.aileen , Nereid Ndreu Report

    Lyoness
    Community Member
    7 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What's wrong with saying "Thank you but I'm not interested"?

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    #26

    A woman calmly shutting down a man’s creepy advances during a conversation on a city sidewalk. Not me, but I saw somewhere that the best method is to tell then you’re trans. For some reason, creepy straight men get so offended when they find out they’re attracted to a trans person, as if it’s going to hurt their masculinity or smth

    kim.dokjaholic Report

    Mark Alexander
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Seriously, that's a good way to be unalive. Don't do this. Male insecurity is not only weak but can become dangerously deranged when they think they "fell" for a wrong gender.

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    #27

    Woman holding sunglasses and phone by a car, showing strength and confidence against men’s creepy advances. He threw a beer can at my head. I ran him over with my car.

    sunnythecollector/ Report

    #28

    I body wise was already quite well developed by 12 by face wise still very much looked like a kid. An old creepy dude was starring at me with a nasty expression, I looked him straight in the eye and asked "why are you starring at a 12 year old" he didn't stick around for long after that he was almost running to get out of there.

    taylor._.jackie/ Report

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    #29

    I post screenshots of their harassing comments and DM’s to their own facebook Timelines so everyone can see

    hivangi.nigam1510/ Report

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    #30

    I vomited on him. Well i told him to get out of my way. He did not...so...yeah

    judith_countessofthefullmoon/ Report

    Rosecrucian Roeth
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I really love this one............. perfect!

    #31

    Young man wearing glasses and a black shirt sitting outdoors, reflecting on moments of women shutting down creepy advances. Lowered my head while looking up through my lashes and unfocused my eyes, then told his direction that we(my voices) and I didn't appreciate his tone at our rejection of his failed courting

    just_jhillin/ , Guilherme Caetano Report

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    #32

    Back in the day I was a moron magnet and my most effective line was, "Hi! My name is RainDrop, I was born at Woodstock!" Most of them turned and walked away. Those that persisted ended up wearing their own drinks

    danu.s_daughter Report

    #33

    Two young women sharing a close moment, highlighting amazing women confidently responding to men's advances. Asked me if he could pay me a compliment, I said “it depends.

    He went to tell me “if I was a judge for best bum in this pub-“ I cut him off saying “that’s not a compliment you can pay me” Bonus - he tried to carry on and I said “nope - not a compliment you can give me, my girlfriend can but not you” and right on cue rounding the corner where I was sat “I’m the girlfriend, what’s that you’re saying to her?”

    emilialucy111/ , V T Report

    Nizumi
    Community Member
    7 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That hasn't worked for me. The usual reaction was their eyes lighting up like they were imagining the 3some

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    #34

    Maybe not badass but last time a man wouldn't leave me alone I RANTED about everything inconvenient that happened to me and at a certain point I think he got weirded out by me!! The trick is to be creepier!!

    papa_seahorse Report

    Roxy222uk
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Do you think just being boring works? Like complaining about all the ironing you’ve got to do when you get home?

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    #35

    group of guys approached me and mid sentence i walked away singing meow meow song

    nuhlane Report

    #36

    Angry woman with piercings and red lipstick expressing frustration, illustrating women shutting down men’s creepy advances. One night I walked into my apartment and my underwear were out of my drawer. I started to reprimanded my cats when I noticed non-cat movement in the kitchen. Apparently, I was being robbed but I mistook the young man for my GBF which confused me too because he had just been in an accident and was still recovering. Mistaking him for my bestie may have saved me a ton though because I was pissed rather than scared. I walked forward and in yelled "WHAT THE F?" Young man turned, dropped everything and bounced out the window he came from before it clicked with me that he was NOT, in fact, my bestie. I still laugh thinking about it. I'm 5ft tall and petite. He was probably 6ft or so. This kid was rocking a Bill Cosby type sweater like my bestie or I swear I would have s***t a brick. He must have thought I was the most insane little white girl he ever laid eyes on.

    cpelland2112/ , Anna Tarazevich Report

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    #37

    I kissed my best friend in front of him and loudly said how excited I was for the pride parade we were going to(we weren’t)

    rolltidefromca Report

    Na Schi
    Community Member
    Premium
    21 minutes ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This only works semi-well... one time I had to do this I met one of these delusional creeps that thought he could have the time of his life by convincing us "lesbians" to have a triple with him 🙄

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    #38

    A man at a bar I worked at ages ago would not leave me alone so I slept with BOTH of his sisters. I have no regrets.

    npk19/ Report

    Ham Fright
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That'll teach him ...or them ...or someone

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    #39

    Young man in a red hoodie looking thoughtfully outdoors near a waterfront, illustrating reactions to women shutting down creepy advances. Acressively told him his mum must have tought him nothing in a scolding voice. He was so flabbergasted he triped over his words and looked imbarassed infront of his homeboys who he just had tried to makr the alpha guy by laughing at a mentaly disabled elderly woman and then turned around and hit on me.

    nefelibatakata Report

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    #40

    Stressed man with beard holding his head, representing the impact of women shutting down men’s creepy advances. just say you’re a transgender

    onlly.mii/ , Mikhail Nilov Report

    Lyoness
    Community Member
    7 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Unfortunately in a lot of the world this could get you assaulted or k*lled. Edit spelling.

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    #41

    My landlord was stalking and harassing me for months... Like, creeping around the house, had cameras and on the last straw; he hung out my laundry.. He, however, was running an illegal operation with the set-up he had, so I stopped paying rent on my last 2 weeks, called the council for the mess he made, and when he called the police to forcefully remove me, I hit them back with squatters rights. I ended up telling the police to get off "my property" and packed my shit at the exact pace I wanted to while that peasant was too scared to come to his own house because I wasn't the prey he thought I was. On my last day there i made damn sure the entire street knew what type of predator he was. Hehe. I know he had to do a bunch of stuff to make his "share house" legal after i left, and I'm sure he's still a creep, but i know for sure that he'll at least think twice before harassing a young female again (or assuming she's intimidated by him).

    isle.of.aphrodite Report

    Rosecrucian Roeth
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I sort of think where she is coming from and I think it all went well for her....just not too sure of the details, but good for her.

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    #42

    I give them my dad’s phone number.

    fashion_fairy4/ Report

    #43

    i was drunk as hell one night and guy wouldn’t leave me alone so i got on all fours and started barking. not “arf arf”, like foaming at the mouth rabid barking. he left me alone lol.

    nameless_mims/ Report

    Rosecrucian Roeth
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You weren't THAT drunk............... you were aware enough that this might work.

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    #44

    Woman in a purple shirt showing a stop gesture with her hands to shut down men’s creepy advances confidently. I’m so sorry to who this offends.. but I pretend to be deaf..

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    #45

    Man holding child outdoors in an urban setting, illustrating interactions between amazing women and men’s creepy advances. I asked him when the last time he hugged his son was and told him if he was proud of him

    amber_radiancez Report

    Rosecrucian Roeth
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I assume that you know him and that it is close to home and more than likely deserved.

    #46

    drew him pregnant and showed it to him (never drawn so fast in my life)

    grittyboihere Report

    #47

    Multiple rolls of white textured paper towels stacked closely together, highlighting amazing women’s actions. Me and my freinds were going into a store and a older man in his 70 i wanna say walks up and goes Goodmorning ladies i look at her and say i hope they got a good bathroom and enough toilet paper im finna blow this bathroom up he turned around and walked away real quick

    adrixn.0126/ Report

    Rosecrucian Roeth
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Would you please translate this so I can understand what is actually happening?

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