One woman had an early scare right before Halloween while shopping at Marshalls/HomeGoods in Houston, Texas.
In a viral TikTok video viewed over 1.4 million times, user Michelle Paz (@michellepaaz) explained what went down.
“I was followed around at Marshall’s and HomeGoods by Houston Galleria Mall, ” the woman began in the clip. “And I want to tell all the girls that go shopping to these stores to please be careful.”
A PSA to female shoppers
Paz went on to explain that she often shops in these stores and has been to various locations. She never imagined she would be concerned about her safety while shopping.
“The fact that this happened to me, I couldn’t even believe it,” Paz continued.
Though the woman admitted she has seen similar videos by other women in the past, she admitted she did not take them seriously.
That changed after her own experience.
“We should pay attention to this,” she urged. “And I want to be the one to tell all of my besties on here to please watch for your surroundings.”
@michellepaaz Pls be safe ladies this is serious. #fyp ♬ original sound – MICHELLE PAZ
What left her so shaken up?
The TikToker alleged that while shopping in the store, a man followed her into the “cup section” of the store.
He did not appear to be shopping or browsing. Instead, he decided to try to strike up a conversation.
“Tell me why he literally starts asking, ‘Hey, what’s your name? Have you been here before?’” the woman reported.
Paz said she offered a simple response and then immediately walked away. Still, she was left with a “bad vibe.”
Ultimately, she assumed the man was just attempting to hit on her. She figured moving away from him would be enough to end the encounter.
However, Paz said he followed her to another part of the store. When she spotted him, he started to text on his phone. Then she noticed another strange man texting on his phone as well.
She assumed they were together.
The situation made the woman so uncomfortable that she went to the fitting room and called her friends. Then she called the police.
After her friend arrived, the pair checked for the men together but they had left.
The Daily Dot reached out to Marshalls/HomeGoods via email for more information and comment.
She’s not the only one
This is not the first time someone has gone viral after alleging they were followed while shopping at the retailer.
Recently, another woman said she felt like she was being followed by a man while perusing the store.
She said the man kept popping up in every aisle she went to, even after she tried to avoid him.
These women are not alone.
According to UN Women, 9 out of 10 women in cities worldwide report feeling unsafe while out in public. Additionally, a 2021 IPSOS study found that 80% of women had experienced sexual harassment in public spaces.
In Houston, Texas this year, violent crime has been on a downward trend overall. However, reports of rape have increased.
Viewers express concerns
In the comments section, many women expressed their concerns.
“The galleria is so scary I will never go alone,” user Carson Roney wrote.
“The reason why I always force my man to go with me everywhere, even if he he doesn’t want to go with me because you don’t know what peoples intentions are and my man is out of town recently so I’ve be,” another user commented.
Others offered the woman safety tips.
“Get your car checked for tracker, they possibly followed you since you arrived to the store,” user Diana Rojo Carbajal said.
“You’re supposed to tell the employees so they can record them with the cameras and help you,” user Reya12 commented.
The Daily Dot reached out to Michelle by email for more information.
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