Imagine this scenario: you’re walking down a path with your sister, and she’s talking to you about the Dubai chocolate bar she just bought. Surrounded by trees and small groupings of people, your conversation is interrupted by a noise. 

Are you expecting me to say that behind us was a bear? No, it was a strange middle-aged man shouting unsettling comments as his walking speed hurried towards us. 

The Man vs. Bear Theory has surfaced on the internet to speak to uncomfortable scenarios that women fear every time they leave their homes. This debate centers on the question, “Would you rather be trapped in the woods with a man or a bear?” The majority of respondents are choosing the bear, arguing that a male stranger may pose as much or more potential danger than the wild animal.

Violence against women has been overlooked for centuries, and this TikTok trend allows another way for sexual harassment victims to share their stories. Like many controversial topics, people have found ways to pull the focus from the sexual assault victims. While misandry is important and often goes unnoticed, those with malintent are using it to continuously undermine the experiences of others. Harassment of women is a daily reality, beginning at a young age. I can’t even pinpoint the first time I was or witnessed another being catcalled; it has become such a normalized part of walking the streets of downtown Portland.

So if I had to answer the question, I think I’d pick the bear, too. Not because I hate every man or because I think all men are dangerous. It’s because the odds for a bear to attack me are one in 2.1 million; they don’t statistically violate one in three women every single year.