So I work with this guy who is friendly enough. I’ve been working with him for almost 2 years now. He is the type that does not understand space. He gets way too close when he talks and he touches me (grabs my arm or shoulder) when talking to me. I hate it very much. I have taken steps back from him while talking just for him to keep stepping closer. I have watched to see how other ladies at the workplace respond to him being too close... and they don’t seem to mind at all. I haven’t seen him touch anyone else though the way he touches when we talks to me. Which I don’t get and hate very much. I don’t want to flat out tell him it makes me uncomfortable because work is hard enough as is and I don’t want to look like the bad guy. It puts me on edge so much... but because he is entirely unaware of his surroundings and people, he doesn’t seem to pick up on my reactions - in how it makes me uncomfortable. I feel like he is driven by demons to just rip my peace from me... and that is what makes me the most angry... is that he does take my peace away because it makes me very tense.
Have you ever dealt with this before?
This isn't demons. That's blowing it way out of proportion. Most people learn to adapt to their society's "personal bubble". The amount of space left between two people in social interaction. Some people are born without the ability to recognize this, or perhaps social cues in general. Autistic people for instance. But some may be otherwise normal, just with a different concept of personal space.
A study was done and found many people in prison for violent crimes actually have Larger bubbles, making it easier to upset them and making them more prone to violence. Because so many people invade their personal space.
And in some cases this is a cultural issue. People from India have much smaller personal bubbles and therefore tend to stand quite close and are unaware of the discomfort it provides others from cultures with bigger personal bubbles.
As for the touching it might have a creepy motive, or perhaps he feels closer to you, even non-romantically, thus making him feel comfortable touching you. It may even be something he isn't aware of. Don't be so quick to assume the intents and motives (or assign demons to) of a person.
Talk to him in a friendly manner, not angrily, not critically. Just share the discomfort his behavior causes in a calm, non-accusatory manner.
Maybe he's had this issue before and felt embarrassed. So no need to start out with accusations.
This false sense that its somehow wrong to be honest and open with people making you uncomfortable is a common misconception among many Christian's. If they perceive you poorly that's on Them, not you. Especially if you approach it with a right attitude.