HARASSED AT CLICKS

I write this review with so much hurt and disbelief. Yesterday , 19th March 2018 in the afternoon whilst at a Clicks store (Mdantsane City Mall) with a friend , I was harassed by a man standing in line with the rest of us customers. He put his arm around me and when I turned to face him he proceeded to attempt kissing me. In shock and extreme discomfort-I told him to leave me alone. Two other men in line continued to laugh with the man as he did this, one of them even pretending to be taking a picture of him while he continued to put his around me and laugh.

All of this taking place in the presence of Clicks staff and other customers. As I continuously told this man to stop, he then began to get verbally aggressive with me.I made it clear that I was not comfortable with his actions and he began to taunt me by calling me names and saying "it was just a joke". One lady in line then came to my defence by telling the man to stop what he was doing which he continued to say it was a "joke"(one I made very clear not to give consent to nor entertain). This continued for roughly 5 minutes until two staff members began to tell the man to calm down, he continued to stand in line with me(which was very intimidating and uncomfortable for myself) and made hurtful and demeaning comments directed at me until he then left . My friend and I left the store very shaken and felt so violated.

I only built up the courage to go lay a complaint at the store today 20th March 2018 in the afternoon. The person whom I was told to speak to( store manager) told me he could not give me any other answers besides an apology from himself as I should've reported the incident yesterday as it was happening so that he could have called the Police. I made it very clear to him that the incident took place in plain site of his staff yet I was not tended to nor did I feel protected as a customer. No solid answers were given to me, not even my details were taken in order to keep in contact with me during the investigation he(manager) said he would follow. This incident makes me question my safety as a customer as well as a woman, the fact that we (read women) can be harassed in stores we regularly shop at and there be no accountability from the staff /security is a scary thought.