I was sitting reading a book on the train on my way back from school. This guy came and sat across from me and asked me what I was reading. I showed him the cover but didn’t reply, I just kept reading. He tried again, “You seem really interested in it.” Again, I ignored him and kept reading.
Not getting my attention, he tried another tactic. He placed his backpack next to me, boxing me in close to the window and spread himself across the whole seat in front of me. He moved his leg to touch mine. I moved my leg. He moved his leg again to touch mine. Again I moved. Again he moved his leg, and by this time I was scrunching myself into the corner. I was afraid to say something even though there were other people around. I froze. I just wanted to get out of there, so I gave him an angry look, put my bookmark in my book, stood up while holding my backpack and went to a different part of the train.
I saw a guy look from the man who harassed me, to me, then back to the guy. I think he saw what was happening but didn’t know what to do to help. I was so scared and angry and nervous that I was shaking when we reached my stop. He stood to get off at the same place. I stopped the closest normal-looking man standing up to exit the train. “Excuse me,” I said, “see that guy over there in the red and white striped shirt?” He nodded. “He is kind of harassing me. Can you keep an eye on him for me?” He nodded and we all got off the train. I walked to the indoor train station coffee shop and sat to wait until my brother could pick me up. I was still so scared. Turning my back to that guy to walk away terrified me. I hate feeling unsafe. That guy robbed me of my feeling of security. I cried for 20 minutes when I got home. I scrubbed and scrubbed the part of my leg he touched and immediately put my pants in the laundry. I felt like burning those pants. Nothing helped. I am dreading taking that same train again tomorrow.
Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?
Stay aware of what is happening around you. If you see somebody making advances, speak up! You never know when someone is too scared to do it themself.
– Anonymous
Location: RTD train in Denver, Colorado
Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910
Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.
Zoe Biel, Minnesota, USA 
Alys was born and raised in France, lived for a time in Denmark and has lived in Spain for the past seven years. She likes researching, analyzing and writing about Women’s Rights, gender bias, and intersectionalism with a special focus on sexual violence, rape, rape culture, the impact of street harassment and how the media deals with these issues. She is currently working on a new project focused on how some media participate in the revictimization of victims. The objective will be to offer an alternative by rewriting the incriminated articles. She follows the work and activities of various organisations, especially 
lexandra is a freelance writer and recent graduate of Heidelberg University in Germany, where she earned a BA in South Asian Studies and English Literature. During her time at university, Alexandra started her research on the role of women’s activism in post-colonial India. Inspired by this work, she’s committed to advancing the conversation around gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment across all societies, starting with her new home in Canada. Having moved across the pond to live and work in Montreal, she now focuses on refreshing her French skills while volunteering her time to various community-outreach programs. Here, she also hopes to pursue a degree in visual journalism, so she can tell her stories in colour. Alexandra drinks a lot of coffee, listens to a lot of podcasts and loves the great outdoors. You can follow her on twitter 
Suchita was raised in western India by loving and supportive parents who helped her and her sister to grow into strong, independent and career-oriented women. She’s a registered general practitioner in India and is currently preparing to obtain medical residency in the United States. She is passionate about women’s rights especially because she has had firsthand experiences of harassment and sexist behavior at public spaces, school and work. She believes that in order for women to enjoy equal rights and opportunities, the society needs to recognize that it’s a problem first. In her spare time, Suchita loves playing scrabble, hiking in woods and baking vegan double chocolate chip cookies.
Sequoya is a Native American and Italian woman from Chicago who fell in love with New Orleans. She’s currently a Sociology Major at Loyola University New Orleans and supports her higher education habit by slinging drinks to the masses. She aspires to attain a PhD and write a best seller. She currently operates a 
Nyasha is the public awareness coordinator at the Nisaa Institute for Women’s Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, where the main goal is counselling and sheltering survivors of domestic abuse. In 2013 she facilitated a book titled; “Rising Up, Moving On: Women writing our lives,’ written by survivors of domestic violence and again facilitated a book written by young adolescent South African girls in June 2016 titled “We are those girls: writing our stories.” Both books are available to download for free from the website 
UNmuted Productions is a small multi-disciplinary production company founded by Ness Lyons and April Hughes in March 2016 to make punchy work about legal and social issues affecting women and young people. it’s debut short film, ‘I Smile Politely’, about street harassment, is being screened in competition at the prestigious international Encounters Short Film & Animation Festival on the 23rd September 2016. Ness wrote ‘I Smile Politely’, which is performed by April, after her young daughter experienced street harassment. Ness and April wish to encourage women and girls to speak up about all forms of sexual harassment and discrimination. Follow them on Twitter: @
Ness Lyons is a playwright, filmmaker and spoken word poet. She runs UNmuted Productions, is a member of Soho Theatre Writers’ Lab and is currently developing a script with an award-winning production company. Ness’s plays have been performed at The Criterion Theatre and various Off-West End theatres, and her spoken word poetry’s been performed at The Southbank Centre as part of Women of the World Festival and at a cross-arts event hosted by filmmakers Shorts on Tap and the charity English PEN. Ness will be performing her new spoken word piece at the enat a cros. Her writing’s been published on The Pool website and as part of an online anthology of monologues. A former employment & discrimination lawyer, Ness also works as a freelance Legal Consultant and Storyline Creator for the LLB Legal Practice degree at City Law School, University of London. Follow her work at: 
April Hughes studied at East 15 School for Acting. TV Credits include 3 series of Dixi for Kindle Entertainment and CBBC. Theatre credits include ‘Girls Like That’ by Synergy Theatre and ‘Freak’ by Anna Jordan, for which April won The Stage Award for Acting Excellence. April is currently playing Sandra in the West End’s ‘The Play That goes Wrong’. Follow her on Twitter: @