I laced my braid with thumbtacks as a self defense tactic

I (28F) was 24 years old at the time, and worked in this independent kitchen with no HR department as a cook. One of the gentlemen I worked with had very clearly shown disinterest in anything I had to say, and was dedicated in harassing me since the day I started. I tried talking to the male chef, but he was his cousin, so he brushed it off as “no problem, guys get along great, no issues”. I went to the general manager, who didn’t even acknowledge my concerns. So I was on my own. <br><br>One day, before we got super busy, I decided to be preventative. I elped and teapoured for him, even though he was a solid 6ft 6 and a large man, and tried to include him in every little thing I did that required two people. I offered him sharp knives when I knew the need-arising was only a matter of time, and went about my tasks around him like he and I were the best of friends. He was so confused, and I could see the inner workings of his brain going “wait…me get angry for her and she says no, she ignores me, she’s ignoring me again…. why IS she talking to me, what did I do to make her like me?” And I know that even at the time, he was probably seething. <br><br>Then great things happened: we got super fucking busy and everyone was rushing around. In the chaos, he rushed over to me and started yelling about whatever bullshit he came up with, and WHAM! I whacked him in the head with my braided pigtails. I kept my thumbtacks in only that and whacked the side of his head as hard as I could. Blood went flying and he rushed to the restrooms and didn’t return for about thirty minutes. I didn’t get in trouble, nobody believed that I really did whack him with my hair, and I didn’t hear a single comment from his direction after that. He kept his distance and rudeness was kept to a minimum.<br><br>That is why I laced my hair with thumbtacks. I haven’t done it since, but I still keep a few on hand. <br><br>**