Those of you who read the majority of my articles are probably tired of reading about my job at a clothing store by now, but here's another one for you. I want to tell a story about what happened when I was trying to help a customer a few weeks ago:

I was standing by the registers by myself in the middle of writing something down that was important when I hear a man a few feet away from me yell, "I think I need a fine sexy lady to help me over here." Already humiliated knowing I am the only woman working in the store at the moment so he had to be talking about me, I chose to keep doing what I was doing and hope that he would come over to ask me politely for help. Well, that didn't happen. A few seconds later, his friend walks up to the register where I was standing and said, "I think he's talking about you sweetheart." At that moment, I decided to walk over and act as professionally as possible while helping him find what he was looking for. I kindly asked him what I could help him with. He was trying to figure out what size shorts he would fit into. I handed him three different sizes that looked like they would fit and offered to open up a fitting room for him to try them on. He looked at the biggest size I handed him and then proceeded to lift up his shirt for me in the middle of the store and say, "Baby, do I look like I need that size? Do you want to feel my muscles? Or would your man be too upset?" Thankfully, at that moment his friend told him to look at something on the other side of the store and I ran into the back room and had my male co-worker come out onto the floor instead while I hid until they left.

Now, tell me...do you think this was appropriate in any way? Because I don't. I was humiliated and upset. It was completely unnecessary and ruined my entire day in just about 5 minutes. Too many people don't even realize that something like this is considered sexual harassment. No, neither of these men touched me...that doesn't mean it is not harassment.

If you Google sexual harassment, you will find the definition" "harassment (typically of a woman) in a workplace, or other professional or social situation, involving the making of unwanted sexual advances or obscene remarks."

That's exactly what happened to me.

These men were out and about and they targetted me because they noticed that I was a young woman working by myself at the time (my co-workers were in the back room) and there was no one else shopping in the store at that current time. I was alone, so they decided to see how far they could take it and what they could get away with.

I shouldn't have to be afraid of being in my store alone just because I am a woman. I was trying to be as professionally as possible, I was dressed appropriately for work, I was in no way coming on to either of these men, and I was still harassed. I wanted to share this story as proof that women aren't "asking for it" when these things happen to them.

Every woman should be able to go out and be able to feel comfortable whether they are at work or doing something casual such as just walking around the mall or around a college campus. Instead, there is always the fear that some man will follow you around or hit on you or just flat out won't leave you alone. I started carrying pepper spray around on my keys for this very reason. It is ridiculous that I feel the need to have pepper spray in my hands at all times when I am alone in public, but the truth is you can't be too careful.

My point of this article is to hopefully show some people who maybe have harassed someone without even realizing it, the effects that something like this can have on women. Many people believe that if there is no touching of another person that it is not really harassment, but that is not the case.

I also want everyone, but especially women, to realize that you have to be careful out there. You always think it is not going to happen to you until it does. Get some pepper spray, take a self-defense class, learn how to protect yourself in these unnecessary situations. Do whatever you need to do to make yourself feel safe and confident while you're alone in public. You can't be too careful.