sexist f*ckers will send me to an early grave... (long rant)

[Greenday]

I vote pick a day where one guy in particular is REALLY bad, walk up to him, and give him a swift kick to the gnads. I'm pretty sure that'd end the harassment.

[Argabarga]

Go directly to thier boss and tell them he has to make them stop, if not, then there will be legal consequences for him and his business.

[NightAngel]

1- Go to your manager and explain the situation. If your manager won't help- go higher until you find a manager who will. You should also be able to contact the Human Resources department of your company.
Ask said manager to discuss the issue with their boss or at least to advise you on how the company expects these situations to be handled.

2- Never involve your friends and family members in your job issues. This opens YOU and your friends/family up to problems. All issues should be handled by management in your own company and/or the police.

3- Opening a can of "verbal venom" on them also leaves you open for problems. If you verbally attack them you may very well find yourself on the wrong side of this situation.

Document the issue (times, dates, whom you've spoken to, etc.).

Good luck- I hope this is resolved for you soon.

[Barefootgirl]

I vote pick a day where one guy in particular is REALLY bad, walk up to him, and give him a swift kick to the gnads. I'm pretty sure that'd end the harassment.

Satisfying, but liable to put her into a substantial amount of danger physically and in a LOT of trouble legally.

[Geek King]

You could also go the public humiliation route. I'm sure a local TV or Newspaper crew would be interested in an nice storey about a local company allowing it's workers to harrass passer-by. A crew with a long-range camera and mic would get plenty of juicy footage for the nightly news.

[wheresmysanity]

Satisfying, but liable to put her into a substantial amount of danger physically and in a LOT of trouble legally.

Yeah, my soul would feel a million times cleansed, but I doubt I could come out on top of the situation...

Most of the troglodytes that want to hit on me quickly run in the other direction when they perceive me as a freak.

Tigress, you just gave me an idea. I'm wonder what would happen if I went to work in a frumpy, shapeless, stained tracksuit, no make-up, and started picking my nose in front of them. OK, I won't pick my nose, but do something totally unsavory, like rip the world's loudest belch while walking past them. I don't think these idiots' caveman instincts would ever surface if they didn't perceive me as an obvious and accessible sexual target (not that I dress provocatively at all, or look like some supermodel, but it seems all it takes to be harassed is just to be groomed and have hips & a rack). I am sure I can squelch their horndog behavior and thoughts somehow, so that they don't look at me the same way anymore. Sort of like how a person salivates over a t-bone steak, but if you throw a hairball on top of it, you suddenly lose your appetite.

OK, I know it seems silly, but I suspect it'll work for no other reason than they fact that they are a bunch of horny slimeballs and simple-minded.

To those who suggested working through HR or management... I work alone in my own business so there are no liaisons/co-workers to back me up in this situation. It's the reason I've been trying to find options that would defuse the tension, and get the harassers to back off through their own will, rather then twisting their arms/threatening them into leaving me alone, which would just make them resent me.

Can't wait to test this out and see what happens...

[Nekojin]

Tigress, you just gave me an idea. I'm wonder what would happen if I went to work in a frumpy, shapeless, stained tracksuit, no make-up, and started picking my nose in front of them. OK, I won't pick my nose, but do something totally unsavory, like rip the world's loudest belch while walking past them. I don't think these idiots' caveman instincts would ever surface if they didn't perceive me as an obvious and accessible sexual target (not that I dress provocatively at all, or look like some supermodel, but it's seems all it takes to be harassed is just to be groomed and have hips & a rack). I am sure I can squelch their horndog behavior and thoughts somehow, so that they don't look at me the same way anymore. Sort of like how a person salivates over a t-bone steak, but if you throw a hairball on top of it, you suddenly lose your appetite.

This won't work. They already know how you dress and act on a day-to-day basis; they won't give a one-time change of appearance much negative consideration. However, it might actually encourage them. If you're normally dressed in a blouse and skirt, and one day show up wearing a track suit, some of them might get the idea that you want to get hot and sweaty.

The human mind is an amazing thing, and it's the resistance to deterrence that is one of the more astounding.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I'm wonder what would happen if I went to work in a frumpy, shapeless, stained tracksuit, no make-up, and started picking my nose in front of them.

I'll tell you exactly what will happen: Absolutly nothing different.

You have to understand something here...they aren't doing it because they think you like it. Or even that you don't. While they KNOW you don't like, and that probably gets them off to some degree, that's not what it's about.

They are showing off for each other. And it doesn't matter how you are dressed, how you carry yourself, or how you look. They are egging EACH OTHER on, you are not provoking them. So do not carry any responsibility for this. You didn't ask for this, nor did you encourage it. I suspect a pack of pigs like this would yell at an obvious nun.

I was going to simpy say pretty much what Night Angel has said. Don't speak to them or acknowledge them. You tried to be polite by speaking nicely to them. They aren't interested in that. They want to beat their chests and try to out-pig each other. Be professional, and tell your HR people and the local cops that you feel threatened and afraid to go to your job alone. If you must speak to their boss, take someone with you from your job (keep it work related.).

You don't have to put up with this. If they are coming out waiting for you so they can harrass you, that is stalking and deliberate harassment. If nobody takes you seriously, call a lawyer.

[Tigress]

Tigress, you just gave me an idea. I'm wonder what would happen if I went to work in a frumpy, shapeless, stained tracksuit, no make-up, and started picking my nose in front of them.

It actually helps that I'm genuinely interested in the "freak" stuff. I merely play up that aspect of my personality to great effect.

[NightAngel]

If you are your own boss then I say call the police and tell them that these guys skulk about and harass you when you enter your store. Request that the police escort you in and have a nice talk about harassment with them AND their boss.

Should put a neat end to the situation.

[Ackee]

The old fashioned way

Or you could try the old tried and tested of getting your boyfriend and his mates( or any helpful and heavily built and or tatooed young men will do) to have a word with them.
I am thinking they would say something along the lines of "I respectfully ask you to leave that young lady alone or I will be forced to batter you into a smudge on the pavement"

[Seshat]

My vote goes with the 'record the situation unobtrusively' and 'get the police involved' team.

Dressing to avoid harassment NEVER works.
Involving your friends and family will probably escalate the problem.
Physically or verbally attacking them will open YOU up to a lawsuit or other legal problems.

Record the situation as best you can without letting them know, especially if you can manage to catch a week's worth or so.

IF you can, include a record of you saying to them 'Please stop hassling me like this', so there's a RECORD of you saying that their harassment is unwelcome. If you choose to do this, say nothing threatening. Don't mention the police or anything on the recording. JUST say 'Please stop'. No 'or else' at all, only 'stop', in whatever phrasing you choose.
DO NOT DO THIS if it would make you uncomfortable, and DEFINITELY not if you feel it would make you unsafe.

If they do stop and -stay- stopped, you've achieved your goal. I don't think it's likely, but it'd be nifty if they did.

If not, the police will have a record of you asking them to stop, and of their reaction, to go with the records of the harassment. This will strengthen the police' case against them.

[Estil]

Well, our harassment policy clearly states that customer on employee harassment is included, so I'm pretty sure yours does the same.