This thoughtful gesture struck a nerve, sparking a flood of similar stories from others who had been protected or supported by strangers in tense or risky situations. Responses to Motta’s tweet were brimming with accounts of quick-thinking kindness—from bars and public spaces to everyday settings like grocery stores. Here are 23 stories from those replies that truly restore faith in humanity.
22 times absolute strangers stepped up to protect women
Motta's tweet inspired many to share similar faith-in-humanity-restoring moments.
Twitter user Laura Motta shared a poignant story of a small but impactful act of kindness from a bartender, and it resonated deeply with people online. Her tweet, which has garnered over 804,000 likes and nearly 100,000 shares, described how the bartender subtly shielded her from an uncomfortable situation with a potentially suspicious man. “Was at a bar alone yesterday when the bartender said, ‘Hey, check out this text from my sister!’ He showed me his phone, and it said, ‘Do not, under any circumstances, get into a conversation with the guy sitting on your right.’ Men, if you are in a position to do this, DO THIS,” she shared.
Was at a bar alone yesterday when the bartender said, “Hey, check out this text from my sister!” He showed me his phone and it said, “Do not, under any circumstances, get into a conversation with the guy sitting on your right.” Men, if you are in a position to do this, DO THIS.
— Laura Motta (@guttersniper) April 29, 2022
1.
As a bar owner, there’s a lot of ways to teach your staff to look out for your customers, but the point is, you should be teaching them, not just hoping they do.
— Paul Korney (@PaulKorney) April 29, 2022
It also goes the other way too, take care of your staff by kicking out the people that create a hostile eviroment.
2.
Walk me back to my hotel, and let me sit there with the ramen shop’s cat while two of the guys went to “make sure it’s okay.”
— Sai Fox | 💙🧡 | ❤️🖤 | (@MsSaiFox) April 30, 2022
3.
…next to a windowless white box van with the driver door open.
— Darnell de Palma (@DarnellGregori2) April 29, 2022
The cashier watched as I backed out of my space and then stood in the middle of the exit lane so I could leave while he blocked the “stalker” from following me.
Forever grateful to that cashier.
4.
I was in a movie theater once & a guy a few empty seats away decided to flash me. I stood up & said loudly, "This guy right here just pulled his pants down because he thinks he can shock me & scare me! This guy right here!"
— 𝙍𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙚 (@Rindie611) April 30, 2022
Dude ran out the side door like the place was on fire.
5.
pretended to be a girls friend because i saw a man obviously following her. she had noticed and was uncomfortable, but didn't know what to do. i walked up and used my gayest voice to say "heyyy gurl!" and promptly escorted her to her destination. she was so relieved
— rei (@zelfguts) April 30, 2022
6.
Worked in bars for years. 2 nieces. When they reached the age, I told them listen to me now. Two rules in bars . Never leave your drink. If you do it by mistake get a new one. Two, if 5 arrive together, 5 leave together. Get his number on the way out. No One left behind.
— PKarma (@boomiec) April 29, 2022
7.
Another man, moves to sit opposite us. Starts saying exactly the same things to the creep. He just wants to be friends with him, why's he ignoring him, etc. Creep shuts up. And doesn't follow me. (I still alighted at a different stop from normal though)
— Tista Chakravarty-Gannon 💙 💜 (@tcgannon) April 30, 2022
8.
I love this. I was once at a country bar dancing with a guy and decided I was done after he said something. He grabbed my arm as I tried to walk away. Bouncers grabbed him immediately and threw him out. So thankful for men that watch out for all women.
— Angelina Goode (@angelina_goode) April 29, 2022
9.
I was in England on an exchange program and did not know anyone that well. I took a sip from a drink at a pub and blacked out completely. I woke up the next day in the apartment of a group of girls who watched over me the whole night to make sure I was okay.
— Jerica Peters (@jerica_peters) April 30, 2022
10.
At 13, I had a job cleaning the local card store on Sat. mornings (vacuum, etc.) Every time I went to the closet for supplies, the owner would “need” to squeeze in the tiny room too. The 16 yr old working the register started pulling everything out before I got there. My hero.
— @knitmom1418🇺🇸🌈🏕(she/her) (@knitmom1418) April 29, 2022
11.
one more story. had a fight publicly with my husband. we were pretty heated, I wanted to leave he was insisting I talk it out. a stranger came and asked me " R U safe?" my husband was annoyed but she made me answer her. I remember her and I'm grateful
— meidasBJ (@midasmightyBJ) April 30, 2022
12.
I was a little nervous about that. When my tire did go flat, they all pulled over with me. Friendly 50ish driver came over, told me what happened & his buddy changed my tire for me. & Followed me from Utica to Buffalo. 💖 I’ll never forget them.
— DMKoman (@TSBsLTR) April 30, 2022
13.
I saw this “drink menu“ in the ladies room of a bar/restaurant in Lake Placid. Depending upon what drink you ordered that was a signal to the bartender of what kind of help you needed. I have blacked out the names of the drinks for obvious reasons. I wish all bars did this pic.twitter.com/dRURs9q4dq
— Michelle Manning 🍎 💻 (@ManningTechTalk) April 29, 2022
14.
I was at a restaurant for girls night out, we saw a young lady being harassed by an older guy at the bar. The momma bear in me kicked in. I went up and gave that guy a mean look and said to her Hi sweetie sorry to make you wait, Dad’s on the way. Him Bye! 👋🏼
— Angeline 🇺🇸💞🇺🇦🌻 (@floralbeauty18) April 29, 2022
15.
I was at an Irish bar in Queens, NY. A guy wouldn’t leave me alone so the bar tender slammed a bat on the bar and said, “You heard the lady, finish your beer and get the fuck outta my bar.” I always thought it was very Irish that he let him finish the beer first.
— Charity Fain (@CharityFain) April 30, 2022
16.
I'm in Scotland & a bar I go into has a notice in the ladies toilet which says if you're being harassed & someone makes you feel uncomfortable to go up to a bar person & ask for Angela.
— Auders 2🇺🇦 (@Auders23) April 29, 2022
It would be nice if more places adopted this.
17.
I was at a bar alone and got up to go to the bathroom. When I came back, the bartender had pulled my drink back towards him and placed a coaster over the top. He got a great tip.
— Lulu Mac (@LuluMcSideways) April 29, 2022
18.
to get him to go away. Once it was just me & her, I asked for her phone & who she was last with. She continuously kept passing back out. I finally spoke to her friend & waited until they arrived to help her in the car. They were all 17 years old.
— Kt_K (@mama___karma) April 29, 2022
19.
At a funfair as a kid, we went on a ride that went through a dark tunnel. My uncle and bro had sat far away and a young man came and sat by me. The guy whose job was to give the green signal flat out refused to let the car move. He said I don't let strange men sit by girls. King.
— shreyaa_mishra (@shreyaamishra07) April 30, 2022
20.
I was with a friend out for drinks and a girl we didn't know came and sat at our table and said "Hey I didn't see you guys earlier, what's up?" We just played along until she got up and said "thanks this guy has been following me since the dry cleaners".
— Sydney Nicole:) (@actressatlarge) April 29, 2022
21.
Clocked a guy following me in the mall for a while. Picked the busiest store to duck into—the Apple store. The greeter said “hello”, I told her “a man is following me” she said loudly, “sure they’re over here follow me” as soon as he saw me with her he got angry and stormed off.
— Amanda de Souza (@AmandaNicoleNYC) April 29, 2022
22.
My sister was escorted out of Home Goods by security.There was a man following her doing lewd gestures.They wanted her to leave in her car while they made sure he didn’t follow. She didn’t ask what the lewd gestures were. If all people would look out for those in danger ❤️
— Robin C. (@aveerik3) April 29, 2022
This article originally appeared on 5.4.22.
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