Preston woman receives inappropriate comments trying to sell her car

A woman originally from Preston has received inappropriate comments whilst trying to sell her car.

Now living in Dubai after moving for a job, which is why she wanted to sell her Mercedes-Benz convertible.

She posted an advert on Facebook Marketplace but soon began to receive inappropriate comments.

The woman, who asked not to be named, is now speaking out to shine a spotlight on the issue of harassment and to challenge toxic masculinity.

She said: “As I left Preston suddenly to move to Dubai I didn’t have chance to take professional car photos, so my only pictures of the car included myself in the photo and with the private number plate which is not for sale.

“I received 18,000 views on the ad and over 200 messages about the car. Every single message was from a male, with a few exceptions, all asking to buy me as well. ‘Do you come with the car?’ was the most common reply.

“One rang my mum’s phone to ask me on a date and was upset when he was told it was my mum and not me. One man asked if my pants came with the car.”

The woman has recently started to actively encourage women to become entrepreneurs and better leaders.

Another of the images listed with the car sale

She said: “The #metoo movement started to empower women through empathy, especially young and vulnerable women.

“So I believe it’s important to show women that this behaviour should not be tolerated and to stand strong and not let toxic masculinity define who you are and bring you down.

“When I started receiving the initial messages from males asking if I come with the car I was in shock. Sexual harassment comes in all shapes and sizes, unwanted pressure for dates, catcalls, sexual comments are all forms of harassment.

“Will the lady in the photo come with the full asking price? Does she come in the post with packaging? How does she ride? Is the hot chick for free with the car? 10k for the chick. These are just some of the messages I received.

“Alyssa Milano posted on Twitter: ‘If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote Me too as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.’”

The woman, who is trying to sell the car to support her new life in Dubai, describes the issue as ‘distressing’.

She added: “I agree the initial photo is sexy including the private registration, which I bought for fun.

“However it doesn’t give people the right to objectify a human or woman in monetary terms.

“A woman should be able to act and dress in a way that she wants to without receiving these sort of comments.”

You can view the car on Facebook marketplace