Southern California mom Dr. Leslie Dobson is defending her decision not to return her shopping cart at stores. She initially went viral after making a TikTok about the subject, which caused a lot of controversy. The debate about returning your shopping cart isn't a new one, but Dobson is hoping to use it to bring attention to a different topic of concern for parents.
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The next day, Dobson shared a follow-up video further explaining her controversial stance, claiming that for her, not returning the cart is a matter of personal safety. She added that 265 children were abducted in American parking lots, and half of those victims were sexually assaulted.
"As a single mom returning your shopping cart, you are prime for a predator to watch and grab you," she said.
Dobson appeared on local news affiliate KTLA 5 Weekend Morning News to talk about the backlash her video received. "I am shocked, but I am also very happy, because I’ve received hundreds – maybe to the point of even thousands – of messages from moms saying, ‘I pulled into the spot, I’m looking at my surroundings and I’m more aware now’," she explained.
"I know the video was provocative, but that’s what I wanted… I wanted to grab attention. It’s the bigger picture of ‘We need to empower ourselves to trust our intuitions,'" she continued. "If we have awareness, then that predator isn’t going to be able to do what he intended."
