Another Facebook friend was harassed for the crime of being a woman in public

[stevenleser]

She tells of taking the subway home late at night, looking across from her and the guy had his penis out playing with it while staring at her. She is very shaken up about it.

Someone being on the street is not license for people to harass them. Almost a year ago I did a show with Alden Wicker and Amanda Marcotte about Street harassment of women after Alden had been harassed. I urge everyone who wants to fight that to join http://www.ihollaback.org/ . Here is the show of mine and the segment with Alden and Amanda begins at 10:45. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lesersense/2013/07/28/making-sense-with-steve-leser--street-harassment-and-more

This has to stop.

[Tetris_Iguana]

1. Just embarrass the weirdo and he'll stop.

Or if the assaulted person is alone, just quietly move to a car with people in it.

People should start a guardian angel type patrol for wankers and other miscreants if the problem is severe.

[msanthrope]

2. No....he won't. nt

[Tetris_Iguana]

6. He did for me.

Then again I had other people on the L, so other people's experiences may differ.

[Z_California]

4. A little advice....

If you're a dude offering what appears to be a ridiculously simple solution for what is really a very complex issue involving persecution of the opposite sex, don't do it on Post #1. Be like number 39 or something.

[Tetris_Iguana]

7. Excellent point

[PeaceNikki]

3. Thanks for posting this. It's a terrifying and humiliating experience for women.

It does have to stop.

[woolldog]

11. Why is it a humiliating experience

for the flashee?

[angstlessk]

5. I was assulted on a bus..

some man sat beside me and began to touch my leg....I stood up and told him "DO NOT TOUCH ME...GET OFF THIS BUS"

The bus driver stopped the bus and demanded he get off...today he would be arrested..this was 30 years ago

[etherealtruth]

8. It is very upsetting

Something similar happened to me when I was 11 years old ...I still vividly remember the incident (I am now 52). It was extremely disturbing

[MH1]

9. Does the subway car have cameras?

I feel so much better riding Philadelphia's subway since I noticed that they have comprehensive camera coverage.

This is a case where the benefit to my security outweighs any privacy concern I might have. (which really, I have 0 privacy concern, as any yahoo could be taking a picture of me with their smartphone at any moment anyway.)

Anyway, if there are cameras - and even if there aren't, but cameras improve the odds of stopping it -

1) as soon as safe, exit to another car or exit the train completely. (note the car you are on before exiting, if you think of it)
2) call the transit authority and report the wanker.

Can you tell I've seen some sketchy situations while riding transit, that I've already thought this through? Luckily nothing that I ever felt I needed to report, just .... weirdness. And groups of scary-looking dudes wearing what might have been gang colors. That I outwardly totally ignored. But still, I feel much better with the cameras there.

By reporting the guy there is a chance he will be apprehended and spare other people for awhile, at least til he is back on the street again.

[stevenleser]

10. I sent her info on hollaback and let her know I support her but I don't feel close enough to

ask her questions about it. At least not until she starts to recover from the shock of what happened.

I think some subway cars have cameras but I am not entirely sure.