The lengths women have to go to protect themselves never cease to amaze the internet.
A TikTok video is going viral after a woman shared a clip of her strategically manipulating her apartment with her boyfriend’s thing to make it appear as though she doesn’t live alone.
The TikToker explained her reasoning for doing so in the video, writing: “I have a stranger (male) coming over with a coffee table from FB marketplace so I need to look like I don’t live alone.”
Throughout the video, TikTok user @sulken places a pair of ‘men’s shoes’ near the front door. She also throws her boyfriend’s hoodie on her couch, puts a skateboard within clear view, and even plays a video of a man speaking to make it appear as though there is a man in the house.
In doing all of the above, the woman hoped to avoid any potentially dangerous threatening behavior.
The TikTok video was simply captioned “#selfcareroutine.”
When asked by people in the comments why she would let a stranger into her home in the first place she said that the table she purchased was “too heavy” for her to carry on her own.
It’s frightening and disheartening to see the extra precautions women have to take to feel safe. In response to the video, others shared their own tips and tricks for women living alone.
“My parents always tell me to leave work boots outside my house and stuff when a repairman comes over, “ wrote one user.
Another suggested, “Get gaming setup in a corner and make it absolutely filthy like empty soda and plates. Bulletproof evidence.”
“I used to just get a pack of men’s socks (you can get a bag of 20 for $5 at Walmart) and before the repairman came over I put on every pair and walked through grass so they’d be dirty and look worn,” a comment read, adding: “then I also made sure to leave the toilet seat up.”