Awareness Brings Change

An incident occurred while I was out running the other night. I was doing really great, improving my time, I was the only pedestrian around and no cars on the road. A truck drives by and the male driver opens his door, stands up while driving and yells, "F*** you BYU-Idaho, I'm here to steal all the girls! F*** you!" I came to a sudden stop and looked around me, was this for real? Did that really just happen?
My first reaction was to shake it off, but something inside said no. I dialed 911. The dispatcher listened to my story, took down the details and asked if I needed an officer. I said I didn't think so, because the truck he kept driving. I felt fine. The dispatcher said they would send extra officers to patrol the area. Great. And I hung up.
Well, not so great actually. After I hung up and started to run again that's when I noticed the two hooded figures following me. Dressed all in black and going everywhere I went , but off in the parking lot to my side. What could I do? I ran faster.  The figures disappeared behind a building and that's when I spotted a patrol car and flagged them down.
I recounted the whole incident to the officer. And to my disgust his response was "Well, it's probably just some kids playing a joke, we see that a lot around here. Just stay alert while you run." And he drove off. I tried to finish my run, but every little noise, every car driving by, every distant sound, I jumped, I was terrified.
I finally decided to give in. I had made my halfway point for my run and just couldn't do anymore. When I stopped I was shaking so bad that it was hard to dial the phone to call for a ride. Brett wasn't answering his phone so I called a friend and neighbor to ask if she would knock on our door, she came to pick me up instead.
I made it home safe.
The most discouraging and disgusting part of this whole story is that whenever I tell it to a woman she always sympathizes with me and asks if I'm okay and scared I must've been. But when a man hears the story he always just thinks it must be a joke same as the officer. What is wrong with all the men out there. This did not feel like a joke to me and if it was it is just wrong. The discouraging and disgusting part is that generally speaking men in our society think that this is okay, it's justified because it's just a funny joke. Wrong, Wrong, WRONG!
I'm afraid to go out and run now, but I do it anyway and say a little prayer first. I will not let this hold me back.

I wanted to share this story because I want this point of view to change. I want the world that my daughter lives in to be better than the one that I live in. And I don't ever want my son to be the one that makes another woman feel this way.
Awareness brings change.

Jessica

After race selfie from the Temple to Temple Relay with my beautiful finisher's bouquet courtesy of Little Miss. 😀