This. When I was aged 13-18, I was regularly approached by men. Some of them expressed surprise at my age and said I looked older (which was bullshit, because I’m very petite and looked years younger than my actual age but nonetheless I was flattered at the time). Others said that I must be 12 really and lying about my age (I did lie that I was 16 when I was 14-15, but I definitely did look 12).

Funnily enough it wasn’t only men who approached me when I was in school uniform. I once was accosted by the scientologists, and did their weird “auditing” thing where they told me I had repressed trauma, which I actually did so I was really impressed that they’d detected that with their device. 🤦🏻‍♀️ When the person gave the woman in charge my paper form, she looked pissed off and gave it me straight back telling me I needed parental permission to join them. Which she obviously knew of course that no parent would permit that.

Another time, nightclub promoters approached me and took me to a room where they did some kind of lottery then told me I’d won a holiday to Amsterdam. I just had to join them and enter my card details. I’d lied that I was 18 doing A-levels but had to say that I’d forgotten my card and would come back with it (of course I didn’t have a debit card at age 15). I had to give up the holiday but my mum said it was a scam anyway.

Another time, chuggers had started to operate in the city centre. These huge black guys, who used to stand in front of people and physically block them from continuing down the street. One of them did it to me once. He was over 6 feet tall and I’m only just 5 feet. So he was massive and I tried to walk around him but he kept moving and blocking me and it was really intimidating. I was in school uniform! This was the late 90s and when I look back I can’t believe they got away with doing that.

Oh, it’s probably relevant to mention that I was one of the “grooming gangs” victims. It was in the city centre that they approached me. I’m autistic and very naive and immature for my age. I used to hang out in the city centre for hours every day because my school was nearby and my mum was at work so I was free to do what I wanted. I was lonely so I felt happy that they were being friendly and followed them to their place. It’s actually embarrassing now to think about it, I kind of still blame myself for being such an idiot. (Note: I was banned from Reddit last week for talking about my experience with this, apparently Americans say I’m racist if I dare to use the “M” word to describe those men. So I can’t talk about it much. I guess it’s okay for my voice to be silenced. 😔)

Nowadays, though? I don’t ever get approached. All that happens is sometimes teenagers will make fun of me in some way. Last year a group of boys cycled into me on purpose, which was really scary and horrible. Another time two brothers that live across the road came up behind me and screamed in my ear, scared me half to death. I actually live in an affluent area now, but something about me attracts them.