Would you prefer to be stuck in the woods with a man, or a bear? This question has been popularized by the TikTok account Screenshot HQ, who asked women the question, in a now-viral video. Only one of the seven women interviewed picked a man. The women noted that it “depends what man” and that “some men are very scary out there.” The comments are full of women agreeing that they would choose the bear over the man. The hypothetical is divisive, leaving men perplexed.
Many women have shared their experiences with violent men in efforts to explain their choice. One TikTok user spoke about the time she had to step in and defend a neighbor from her boyfriend who was being violent. The man punched her. “I should’ve tased him,” says the woman “but I was not trying to fight, I wanted to make sure my friend was safe.”
The overwhelming consensus is to prefer the bear over the man. One woman recounted the time she actually had to choose between a man or a bear while on a hiking trail in Armenia. She chose to stay with a local beekeeper for one night, who then attacked her. Following this, she returned to the wild and “decided to risk it.”
There are tried and true methods to ensuring a bear leaves you alone. Bears of all kinds are known to change their habits to avoid humans as we increasingly encroach on their natural habitats. Encounters with strange men are vastly more unpredictable.
The debate encouraged women to share stories, all with the same conclusion: men cannot be trusted. This is hardly new information. The way it’s presented though may make it easier for skeptics to grasp. The inherent volatile nature of animals is coupled with myths surrounding bears to make them seem like the best metaphor for obvious danger. Yet statistics tell a different story. A pioneer large-scale study counted 664 brown bear attacks in a 15-year window in the three areas with the largest bear populations. 95 attacks were fatal. Nearly half of the attacks were by a mother protecting her cubs. The rest of the attacks were causally related to humans behaving inappropriately in bear country, such as moving too quietly or walking unleashed dogs. What does this mean? It means bear attacks are generally avoidable with the proper education and appropriate behavior when in the wild. The responsibility is entirely on people to act accordingly and follow guidance from local authorities.
Attacks on women are entirely different. Not only are they vastly more common, with 89,000 women killed internationally in 2022 alone, but it is most likely not a result of under-preparedness or carelessness. Women take a number of protective measures when outside:women are taught not to walk alone, not to wear headphones, carry our keys in our fists, arm ourselves with pepper spray, a whistle or personal alarm. We share our location, change our routines, never leave a drink unattended, dress in unprovocative clothing. The list goes on. Yet, women are still stalked, attacked, and killed by men. According to the CDC, 15.2% of women have been victims of stalking, and reported that the perpetrators were predominantly male. This extends to the digital sphere: one in ten EU women have experienced online harassment since the age of 15.
Women are understandably reluctant to choose running into a strange man in the wild, with nowhere to run and no one to help. Men are a known danger. The consequences of running into the wrong one may be worse than death. A bear attack on the other hand, should it even choose to attack, is unlikely to be fatal.
