r/freiburg • u/BubblyPresence9606 • 5d ago
Catcalling/approaching
Hi everyone! I have recently moved to Freiburg for my studies. In a single day, I got catcalled twice. I come from a relatively unsafe country but this was new to me. The first incident involved three men who spoke Arabic and called me beautiful, which was fine compared to the second incident. In Hauptbahnhof a guy started making disgusting sexual sounds as he walked past me and even came close to me! Like a 10cm distance. I froze. I didn’t expect this type of behavior to be acceptable or normal in Germany. I didn’t expect to have to continue my hyper vigilance after moving away from my original very unsafe misogynistic country.
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u/MrNiceguy037 5d ago
It's obviously not acceptable behavior also in Germany
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u/Pfeffersack2 5d ago
acceptable enough that men do these things openly on the street and never face any consequences
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u/Galrauch96 5d ago
Im sorry this happened to you. Is this kind of behaviour acceptable in germany? No. Is it normal regardless? Yes.
The answer is assholes and pervs without boundaries exist in every country, culture and time. I hope its still less catcalling than where you came from but expecting it to not be a thing here is kind of naive.
You cannot drop your guards completely as a woman, even here.
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u/ConvertedSins 5d ago
Ngl, I spent 3 weeks in Freiburg… and had some dodgy people shouting at me too, offering me drugs and calling me a fat American because I’m big and had a Californian T-Shirt on.. One of them even offered me a fight coz I said I didn’t want to buy drugs from him, or anyone for that matter. It doesn’t surprise me that it would extend to what happened to you - but still doesn’t make it right!
I’m sorry about what you went through with these “lovely engineers”
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u/BubblyPresence9606 4d ago
I appreciate it.
I’m sorry that happened to you too. I guess here isn’t as safe as I thought it was.
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u/BigDaddyHLB 2d ago
Guys for your sake just avoid the stühlinger kirchplatz which is immediately below the main tram station bridge. Other than that place Freiburg is really safe
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u/Kampfhanuta 5d ago
Calling someone beautifull is catcalling today, really? (A honest question)
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u/BubblyPresence9606 4d ago
If you approach respectfully, “may I just say, you are beautiful” like that, then no. But when you yell at a girl walking by, clearly making her uncomfortable then yes it is catcalling.
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u/IronGriffin180 5d ago
I can find someone beautiful or find beautiful. It depends on the pronunciation
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u/Chronic_Asshole 5d ago
There is no accountability culture in these situations because criticising migrants is seen as worse than what they’re doing to you. Get used to it. Especially in lefty academic or „foreign students" (arabs and indians) circles, they will never side with you, especially if you’re white but you probably aren’t
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u/Pierogi96m 5d ago
It's not acceptable behaviour in Germany, it's just that it is more common to not show civil courage and many people fear such crazy idiots and avoid trouble at all cost.