Posting from an old throwaway.
I've been a member here for a while and have read alot of posts of people's experience with being groped, verbally or physically attacked etc. and I've always thought "OH LET that happen to me. I'll definitely put up a fight and that person will certainly regret it." I've generally been the type of person to defend myself throughout my life back home. Here in Japan, I've never experienced any problems with anyone throughout the 8 years I've been living here. However…
Yesterday, I was shopping in a particular 100 yen shop in the city here. It was my first time is such a big 100 yen shop. I thought it was all great and fun until… I noticed a middle aged man, dressed in all black, wearing sunglasses near one of the aisles I was in. He didn't have a basket or products in his hand. Well, neither did I. Big deal right? I just thought it was weird he was wearing sunglasses indoors. That was really it. Again, big deal right? not really.
About 20-30 minutes later, I started seeing him again and again near or in the aisles I was in. I started getting a little uncomfortable by having his presence near me. almost an hour later, he was still appearing near or in the aisles I was in. Thats when my suspicions started growing. I finally looked at him and noticed he was holding his cellphone camera discreetly aiming it at me. When he saw that I saw his cellphone camera pointed at me, he covered his phone lens with his arm and walked to a different aisle. I immediately panicked, returned all the items in had in my basket (it was like only 4) and walked VERY fast out of the store. There was no way I was going to take an elevator to the exit because what if he followed me into the elevator? I bolted down the escalator and as I was leaving so quickly I frantically kept looking back to see if he was following me. He wasn't. I left the building immediately, sweating bullets.
This has been bothering me since yesterday and I'm beating myself up for not doing something. I could have confronted him. I could have yelled at him in public to embarrass him. I could have told one of the employees about this situation. But what if they just say "Moushiwake gomennasai" like they tend to do and ignore the situation especially since I'm a foreigner and the culprit is Japanese? Also, I don't want to be involved with a police report or any deeper trouble especially since I had to pick up my sons from day care very soon. And What if he was carrying a weapon? I didn't want to risk my life. I have children that need me. I've heard of people getting stabbed in broad daylight. What if that happened to me in retaliation?
I feel like a such a chicken shit. I guess I'm not so tough like I thought I was. This has never happened to me before. This man managed to keep footage of me to do who knows what with it. I feel like vomiting just remembering all of it again and again. I'm never going back to that store again. I'm too scared.
I hope no one thinks I'm overreacting. I know I wasn't assaulted or groped or anything but I really feel violated from what happened.
by 1800kms