Unwanted belly-rub = assault?

[mellenORL]

Just the basic data about the people involved lends a strong creep factor to it, though.

Young, 30 year old pregnant woman answers door to 57 year old male neighbor, he hugs her and then rubs her belly while saying, "I just want to be friends". 30 year old pregnant women are usually very pretty and appealing and cute. 57 year old men generally are not so cute, especially if they are all "touchy-feely" towards a young woman.

Was there a minor bit of conflict between these neighbors earlier? That is not the way to approach a person if you are sincere in making peace with them. Apologizing sincerely, even for an older man, is a humble or at least formal act. The whole incident scenario is just creepy, and the man shows he has some serious issues with habitually dominating people, or just women, by immediately moving into close physical contact with her like that. He's a neighbor, which means he's a randomly encountered community member that you don't get to choose, living next door to you when you move in. Neighbors generally are not people you just hit it off with immediately and proclaim you are BFF's. He's not her dad, not her uncle, not a close family friend. I'd have kneed his groin, screaming at him to get the fuck out and called the cops.

[Old Viking]

It's gauche.  It's awkward.  It's thoughtless.  It's inconsiderate.  It is not, however, a transgression of epic proportions.  Those who tend to think it is should get out more.

[davedan]

Honestly his punishment should be defenestration.

Maybe its just because I think defenestration should be a more widely applied punishment. And it doesn't have to be a high window.

[Flying Mint Bunny!]

Honestly his punishment should be defenestration.

Maybe its just because I think defenestration should be a more widely applied punishment. And it doesn't have to be a high window.

They should make the window out of sugar glass, but let them think it's real glass. That way you can fuck with their heads without causing any real physical damage.

[Radiation]

I usually refrain from touching a pregnant woman's belly and ask first, most usually are more welcoming than if you were to just randomly place your hand on it. I understand it because I am one of those people that don't like to be touched without prior knowledge.

[Ghoti]

I wasn't there, so I can't say for sure whether or not she's overreacting. But like mellen said, there's a strong sense of "creepy". I think it's fair to assume that it's not okay to touch a pregnant woman's belly without asking the same way it's not okay to touch a woman's breasts without asking, but then again I'm one of those people who has a really strong startle response to unexpected touching so I might be biased.

[largeham]

I think a good rule of thumb is to never touch a stranger without consent. In regards to friends/acquaintances, it varies.

[Cerim Treascair]

There's actually a shirt out there for pregnant women... it reads "I am not the Bhudda, so do not rub my belly"