A mother captured a tense encounter on camera after confronting a stranger who made an inappropriate remark to her young daughter.
The incident occurred on Saturday at Routley’s Bakery in Torquay, a coastal town southwest of Melbourne, where the teenage girl was simply trying to buy her lunch.
While she was placing her order, another customer made a comment implying that her choice of food would go “straight to her hips.”
Upset by the remark, the teenager informed her mother, who decided to address the situation directly by speaking to the man outside the bakery.
Approaching him, she asked, “Is there a problem?”
The man responded with a simple, “No.”
The woman continued: ‘No? So you’re not going to make any more comments about young girls’ bodies while they’re in a shop buying food?’
The man denied the comment was about the girl’s body, prompting the mother to repeatedly ask what he said.
An Aussie mother has been inundated with support after she confronted a man who made an offensive comment to her teenage daughter
‘I said, “It’ll go straight to your hips”,’ the man replied, while trying to shield his face.
‘I wasn’t talking about her body.’
The mother disagreed and accused the man of body shaming.
‘You’re in a public place and you’re making comments to strangers,’ she added.
The man accused the woman of not having a sense of humour, but then admitted he has no daughters.
‘Well, I’m glad that you don’t, because it’s actually a revolting comment to make to a young girl,’ the woman told him.
The man apologised for the comment but then accused the woman of being overprotective, sparking an angry reaction.
‘You should be sorry and learn that when you’re out in public and someone’s buying food, you need not make a comment about young people’s bodies,’ she continued.
The incident unfolded outside a popular bakery in Torquay on Saturday
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‘I just think that you’re a bit of a pig of a man who saw a young girl wearing workout gear and decided to make a comment about food that she was buying.’
She later shared the video online, which quickly went viral.
Thousands of viewers commended the mother for calling out the man’s behaviour.
A father wrote: ‘As a male and a father to a daughter, this guy makes my blood boil. Well done for speaking up.’
High-profile Aussies weighed in to express their support.
‘If you are overreacting… the whole internet is about to be overreacting. Good on you,’ Bondi Vet Hospital owner and Real Housewives of Sydney star Dr Kate Adams commented.
ABC star Myf Warhurst added: ‘This is a public service. Thank you!’
Television personality Yvie Jones added: ‘Covering his face, what a little man!’
The teen was buying lunch at the bakery when a customer remarked that it would go straight to her hips
The next day, the mother shared a follow-up post to thank everyone for the overwhelming support and messages.
‘I didn’t expect my video to reach as far as it did but I’m genuinely overwhelmed by the support, kindness and messages of encouragement,’ she wrote.
‘Thank you for backing us and creating a space where this behaviour is called out and not ignored.’
She added that her daughter was doing ‘just fine’ as she doubled down on the confrontation.
‘She is surrounded by love and protection and is a strong young woman,’ the mother continued.
‘While she is still maturing, she is already a fierce and courageous young human.
‘And let me be very clear – I will always protect her loudly and unapologetically from anyone who even thinks about crossing that line.’
Daily Mail contacted the mother for comment.
