My mom and I live alone together. Our apartment is in the back of the building, so we face the back of another building. My mom was going to get dressed, so she went to draw the blinds and I heard her scream, “OH MY GOD!!!!”

“What?” I asked her, pretty blase, since she often freaks out when she encounters pretty innocuous things.

“There’s a guy – in the building next to us – OH MY GOD – he was, you know…” After spluttering and freaking out for another minute or two, I finally got it out of her that she had seen a man masturbating in the next building, right in front of the window, so that anyone could see him.

The experience really disturbed my mom, and it really bothered me, too. While she was glad that she had been subjected to that sight rather than me, I was really mad that she had been exposed to it. The two of us have talked about it a lot and that’s made us feel better, but we haven’t really done anything concrete like reporting him.

This is SUCH a frustrating experience!

– Anonymous

Location: East 72 Street btw 1st and York Avenue, New York NY 10021

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I was working out with a friend as a first time guest at the Planet Fitness, Elmwood Park, IL, location. At around 5 p.m. today my friend noticed camera flashes coming from behind us. When we turned around we noticed some old guy taking pictures of us! When my friend went to get a staff member, the offender ran into the men’s bathroom to hide the camera. When he came out, and the staff member spoke to him, he just let him walk away.

When I addressed the staff member, he said that the guy stated that he was ‘taking pictures of us for his family in Greece’ and that he couldn’t take the camera. Worse off, he said that he would only throw him out if he started taking them again. I said that it was definitely a lie and was APPALLED that nothing could be done! Why do I have to be violated twice in order for anything to be done about it?

It was also upsetting that the guy ran away so fast that I couldn’t take a picture, or address him directly…

UGH! Why is it that guys feel like they can treat women however they want??? I wrote on the Planet Fitness Facebook wall AND sent them an EMAIL AND I will be calling on Monday to request a manager to speak with! It’s just horrid that I can’t even go to my friend’s gym in peace! 🙁

– Earth Angel

Location: Elmwood Park, IL

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I am a student at Fordham University and I was a block away from the Lincoln Center campus when a man on a bicycle touched me on my ass. He took his time touching me (as long as it took for me to feel startled and turn around).

I hope he doesn’t touch anyone again, but if you get any more stories around Lincoln Center, I wanted to give a description: I think his heritage is a country in the Middle East, he is maybe in his late 40’s, with black hair. He was wearing a greenish windbreaker and sunglasses and riding a bicycle.

– Jenna

Location: Lincoln Center Campus, New York City

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There is a man who loiters in front of the Rosslyn metro station on Fort Meyer Drive that harasses women every morning. He makes inappropriate comments, leers, jeers and comments on how we look. Everything from “Wow you’re lookin’ good today” to looking women up and down as we walk by. I’ve been witnessing this every day on my way to work since I started taking that metro in May.

He made his first comment to me last week-telling me, “Wow you are a big girl,” and then proceeded to look up and down all 6’0 feet of me. I yelled, “I can’t believe you just said that!” He kept talking and I kept walking.

For the past seven months I have watched women in response to this mans inappropriate commentary, smile politely back at him, tell him thank you, ignore him and or giggle uncomfortably.

That doesn’t work for me.

I called the Arlington police on him yesterday morning and requested that they remove the man permanently. I told them that he harasses women everyday. The officer didn’t seem to really understand my complaint. I then asked the officer if loitering is legal there and she replied, “No.” I asked that they remove the man for loitering. That seemed to have been the language that she needed.

That man was no where to be seen this morning and it was blissful and victorious. Perhaps he took the day off and will be back-time will tell. If he does return, I will call the Arlington police everyday until he is gone permanently and I told them I would do so. Thanks everyone!

– Anonymous

Location: Rosslyn Metro, Arlington, Virginia

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I was walking down a busy street when a young street vendor on the sidewalks -close to me- started talking to me and calling me (in Arabic of course): “Hey baby, look at me, what’s up honey, you’re so pretty” and kept following me for a few feet.

That’s when something inside me ‘popped’, I couldn’t take it anymore; girls in Arabic societies are always advised never to reply or give attention to a harasser, and through years of doing so (ignoring harassers and tolerating them), I had not found the courage to speak out, to object to it.

Maybe it was because of our social customs or of personal fear that the harasser may attack me. well he didn’t, I stopped walking and I shouted (also in Arabic): “Stop it now!” and looked him straight in the eyes. To my amazement, and his astonishment, he did. He froze and swiftly turned his head away so bystanders wouldn’t realize I was addressing him. And finally, for once, I felt vindicated.

Verbal harassment is the most common type of harassment. To me, and many other girls, the mere idea of replying to the harasser scares us. As simple and quick were the words I uttered, it took me 18 years to summon the courage and power to yell it out, to defend myself.

– Anonymous

Location: Alexandria, Egypt

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