A routine lift ride at a shopping mall allegedly turned into an awkward confrontation after a woman told a man he could be a rapist simply because he was a stranger.
The man, who shared his experience on Threads under the username @nasrul_hd, said the incident happened when he was heading to the car park.
According to his account, he arrived at the lift lobby as the doors were open and passengers were getting out. A woman was also preparing to enter.
He said he gestured for her to wait briefly, but she appeared to be in a hurry. He then quickened his pace and managed to stop the doors from closing before entering the lift.
However, he claimed the woman appeared unhappy that he had joined her.
“You’re acting like there aren’t any other lifts,” she allegedly told him.
Confused by her reaction, he asked what the problem was. The woman then reportedly replied: “You are a stranger… you could be a rapist for all I know!”
The man said he responded with a remark about her appearance, telling her: “Don’t worry, you’re not that attractive.”
He claimed the comment angered the woman, who then threatened to sue him.
In his post, he questioned why she could make such an accusation about him but became upset when he responded.
He also clarified in replies to other users that the woman had entered the lift first before he followed her.
His account sparked a debate online, with some netizens arguing that shopping mall lifts are public spaces that everyone has the right to use.
One commenter wrote: “It’s a public space. The lift isn’t yours alone.”
Another shared an experience of encountering a woman while hiking alone on a remote trail. The woman had stepped aside and said she was waiting for friends nearby.
Although the commenter continued along the trail without seeing anyone else, he suspected she had made the remark as a precaution.
He said he understood her need to feel safe and did not take offence, but felt the alleged comment made in the lift had gone too far.
However, other netizens urged the man to consider why some women might feel uneasy sharing enclosed spaces with unfamiliar men, citing concerns about violence against women.
One suggested that past experiences could influence how safe someone feels around strangers, while another said anyone uncomfortable with sharing a lift could simply wait for the next one.
A separate commenter disagreed with the woman’s alleged choice of words but hoped men would not dismiss women’s safety concerns.
“Maybe all of us can be a bit kinder with how we choose our words.”
The account is based on the man’s Threads post, and the screenshots provided did not include the woman’s version of events.
