Many years ago I wanted to take a class at a community college in the Bay Area. I went to register, and on that very day while I was standing in line, a black man started stroking my blond hair, looked at me and said, “you don’t mind, do you?” I said, “I DO mind.” Fortunately, he stopped. As I was leaving, another black man asked me for my phone number. I didn’t wish to give it, and he asked if I was racist. I gave him a fake number and left. I never returned; I figured it was not worth the risk.
Why do they do it? As I mentioned earlier, because it occasionally gets results.
Just as a mugger sizes up a victim first, observing the victim's demeanor first, and then often doing an initial interaction ("know what time it is") and intruding on the prospective victim's personal space to gauge his reaction, a prospective rapist often does the same.
The rapist is looking for a submissive victim, one who can be made to obey and submit. A girl who can be intimidated into allowing a stranger to stroke her hair and body, or to give over personal information, is more likely to be a good victim.
On the other hand, a girl who reacts to being stroked by screaming out "Get your hands off me! Don't touch me! Who do you think you are!?!" and drawing attention to the guy so that lots of people notice him and may remember his face, is to be avoided.
The audacity is unreal....for him to think he had to right to touch you in that manner.
I was at the Kroger store, and a white guy---absolutely filthy, in coveralls that would have stood alone---reached out for my hair, saying it was like his girlfriend's. I moved back and said, "You do NOT touch me." He mumbled something about not meaning any harm.