Geoff's personal story

On my first date with my first girlfriend, we met up in a shopping centre. It was large and while not packed with people, it was fairly busy. We sat down on a seat and started talking. I'm a nervous guy on my first ever date, so I was shy and awkward.

To ‘break the ice’ my then girlfriend lent over and jokingly asked me “What would happen if I screamed out RAPE!!!!” (yelling the word rape, like really yelling). The whole shopping centre stops, turns and stares at me. I instantly die on the inside, and can't even stop myself shriveling up into a ball because of the looks people were giving me. A number of people came over and ask if she is OK and ask what happened. She awkwardly had to tell people that nothing happened and it was a joke however this doesn't stop people continuing to come over. A few people kicked my chair as they walked past and one person spat on me, even though they saw that nothing happened.

We left after that. Because I stupidly thought that I was in love I stayed with her until she broke up with me a few weeks later for “not being her prince charming”. I should have broken it off then and there. I don't know why I didn't hear the alarm bells going off after this incident.

Now Im scared to even be hugged by my little sister in public, out of fear that I'll be accused of being a pedophile among other things.

I know this is just one incident and not a history of domestic violence, but I think it highlights the way that men are treated when it comes to issues like this even in a day to day context.