Awful response to being ‘caught out’ in Bondi exposes huge issue

A video shows the difference men and women had after spotting a stranger at Bondi beach suffering with an “embarrassing” problem.

It happens to women around the world every day, yet a group of Aussie men at Bondi beach have shown the common occurrence is still “taboo” – and it shouldn’t be.

A video filmed at the popular Sydney location shows a young woman, wearing bike shorts and a sports bra, while out enjoying the waterfront views.

However, seemingly unbeknownst to her, the woman’s period has leaked through her pastel-coloured activewear, leaving a patch of blood on her crotch.

Watch the full video above

A young woman took part in a social experiment in Bondi to see what the public did when they saw someone have a period leak. Picture: Hey Zomi

While it might seem like an “embarrassing” situation, period-leakage is actually something that happens to 92 per cent of women, according to the Menstrual Load research conducted by Australian period-care brand Hey Zomi.

The study, which surveyed 1000 Australian women, also found staggering 88 per cent of period-havers will also worry about leaking.

Despite making progression, the side-effects of menstruation is still subject to a significant amount of stigma, an experience that can negatively affect women, and lead to shame, secrecy, and a reluctance to seek healthcare for related symptoms.

To showcase this, Hey Zomi sent the woman – whose name is Rhylee – to Bondi to find out exactly how people respond to a period leak in 2025.

And the results are very telling.

It was set up by Hey Zomi founders Mika (R) and Zoe (L) Koelma to show how the menstrual load affects women. Picture: Hey Zomi

Most women who spotted the blood approached Rhylee, letting her know gently about the apparent accident.

However, men either didn’t approach, or stopped and stared, with one group of guys even “sniggering” and “laughing” at Rhylee.

“This moment here is the ‘menstrual load’ in action, the shame, the judgement, the fear of becoming a joke,” Mika Koelma, co-founder at Hey Zomi, told news.com.au.

“It’s why we need to destigmatise periods and normalise the conversations around them.

“As honestly, this behaviour is sad, I get that some guys might not feel it is their place to say something, but laughing at someone who’s vulnerable... that’s not funny. That’s just weak.”

Ms Koelma, who launched the period care brand with her sister Zoe, said the idea behind testing the public was to try and make the invisible toll burdened on women, visible.

“It wasn’t about embarrassing anyone. It was about showing the emotional and social load that women carry every month, the judgement we brace ourselves for, and how quickly shame shows up,” she explained.

“We wanted people to witness, in real time, what so many of us have lived through silently for years.

“It was confronting, but that was the point. You can’t change anything if nobody sees it.”

Women went to help Rhylee... Picture: Hey Zomi

... as men mostly looked on. Picture: Hey Zomi

Data supports this. Share the Dignity’s Big Bloody Survey 2024, which spoke to 153,620 people about their period, found that 41 per of Australians felt shame about menstruation.

While another 2019 study found 3 in 4 Australian women believe the stigma surrounding periods is more taboo than drugs, sex, STDs, and mental health.

“Women grow up in a society where periods are something you hide,” Ms Koelma said.

“When Zoe and I started getting our periods, we didn’t feel like it was something we could talk about openly.

“It’s not unusual to hide your pad up your sleeve on the way to the bathroom, you’d whisper to your best friend if you needed help, and you prayed no one would notice a stain.

“A leak was an epic fail, a ‘bury me now’ moment, not something completely normal.”

She continued: “So the shame doesn’t come from biology. It comes from conditioning. It’s cultural. We’ve all inherited this idea that anything to do with menstruation is a bit ‘gross’ or something to be kept private. And that belief has been passed down for generations.”

Some guys ‘sniggered’ and ‘laughed’ at the sight of period blood, exposing a grim truth about society. Picture: Hey Zomi

Determined to move the needle, Hey Zomi shared its Bondi social experiment on TikTok, where the response has been divided.

Many women shared their own experiences of leaking,

“OMG, I got caught out so bad at work last Monday, so glad I was wearing black pants. I had to go home and completely change,” wrote one woman.

“Once I was at Macca’s, got my period and these young teenage girls came up to me and said I had period blood on the back of my jeans, then they then decided to laugh about it. I’m a grown ass women, but I hopped in my car and cried,” said another.

However, one social media user claimed the social experiment was “an attempt to create viral content and demonise men”.

“If the video made you uncomfortable, we’d genuinely encourage you to reflect on why,” Ms Koelma said.

“Leaks shouldn’t be shocking, they’re so normal. They happen. Every person with a period has either experienced one or worries about it.

“The reality is though that most men have never been part of the conversation around periods. They’re not educated on what they feel like, how stressful they can be, or the anxiety that comes with leaks.

“It’s absolutely not about blaming men. It’s about recognising that there’s a gap in understanding, because they’ve never been included.”

Originally published as Awful response to being ‘caught out’ in Bondi exposes huge issue