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The original was posted on /r/twoxchromosomes by /u/Exotic-Philosopher-6 on 2023-08-11 00:12:29.

I had an incident at college yesterday. I’m a mature student at 36. One of the male lecturers, I had already clocked as problematic. You can spot them from a mile off. He is probably around the same age as me. I have very good genes though and no one realises my age. I’m commonly mistaken for being in my early 20’s.

He came up behind me in class and shouted “hello”, which gave me a fright and I stated as such. He then put his arm around me as if to comfort me for giving me a scare. He said I was just nervous as we were about to sit an exam. I asked him immediately not to touch me, which he then said “relax, you just need a massage”. I moved quickly out to the way and very forcibly asked him not to touch me. He looked at me awkwardly, then walked away.

I then had to sit an exam, with this exchange going through my head. I don’t think it went too well. I thought about mentioning it to some of my fiends, but shrugged it off. I was probably overreacting.

Later that day, I received a message from one of my classmates, who is a 19 Yr old male. He had been sitting across the room and had seem the exchange. He said he couldn’t believe it and that he had felt uncomfortable. He was sorry it had happened to me, especially right before an exam.

Ladies, that message made me cry. It made me cry for every moment in my life where a man has been inappropriate and I’ve been made to feel like I’ve overreacted. For everytime I’ve been made to feel bad about an interaction that wasn’t my fault. It was the validation. It meant so much. This young man has no idea what that meant to me. He’s a great man and I almost want to tell his mum!! There is incredible men out there.

With the confidence of my new friend, I reported the lecturerers behaviour to the university. They assured me that It wasn’t ok and have offered me a resit of the exam. I can’t bear the thought that it happens to another woman, who can’t say no.