Enforcing your boundaries is not just telling someone what your boundaries are and thinking that will be enough - especially in the early stages of dating. It is natural for people to try and push for what they want – and LVM will push extremely hard and opportunistically jump on any opening. Don't believe him when he invites you over "just to cuddle" - LVM rely on being able to wear you down. If you give an inch he will take a mile. It is much better for someone to lose interest and ghost you because you won't come over, than for them to lose interest and ghost you after slowly pushing you into having sex with them.

Enforcing your boundaries means saying no clearly. It means not over-explaining or apologising. It means having a strict number of chances you give someone, and if they use that up, you cut them off - even if it's hard and you're attached. It means cutting people off fully, and not leaving a little window open hoping they'll still reach out. It means blocking, not just deleting. It means having the same boundaries for everyone, and not making exceptions because someone is particularly cute or you have history. It means holding yourself accountable - if you know you have a high sex drive but don't want to sleep with someone too soon, do not put yourself in a situation where sex might happen until you're ready.

If he is overstepping - speak out. If it now feels uncomfortable because you said something, let it feel uncomfortable. Don't let him gaslight you into thinking you 'overreacted' to his 'joke' - you both know what happened. There was no joke. He is the one who overstepped your boundaries, he is the one who made it awkward. If you hurt someone's feelings by saying no to them - too bad. Do not apologise because you have nothing to apologise for.

It's hard, but remember you only stand to gain by enforcing your boundaries and you only stand to lose by compromising them. A person worthy of your time will respect your boundaries and will not need to be told twice. If a man reacts badly to you saying no, he never had genuine feelings or good intentions for you in the first place. If he ghosts, he was going to ghost anyway. If he cannot respect your boundaries, he never will. That is not a relationship you want to pursue because it will leave you drained at best, abused at worse.