Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Trustworthy Stranger

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Here’s another positive story from GivesMeHope.com about an interaction between strangers in public:

“When I was seven, my parents and I were travelling in New York and I rushed onto a subway just as the doors closed, leaving my family on the platform. I was absolutely terrified and hysterical, but one lady took the time to get off with me at the next stop and bring me back to the previous station. Sometimes strangers can be trusted. GMH.” – Kelly_kelly, July 6, 2009

Do you have a positive story you want to share about interactions with strangers in public? Submit it for inclusion on the blog.

(i dedicate this post to my partner, who is tired of hearing me tell depressing stories :/)

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Called to since puberty

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I live in New York City, so I’ve been called to by weirdos since I’ve hit puberty. I recently started to attend The City College of New York up on 138th street. I have to take the subway in order to get home from school. Last week when I was about to enter the subway, a man looked me over and said:

“Hey, gorgeous”

I just raised my eyebrows at him as if to say “yea right.”

He got angry and started following me into the subway station saying something along the lines of “I thought I was cute but I guess I’m not cute enough for you.”

He stopped once I swiped my metrocard and got onto the train platform but I was nonetheless disturbed the entire ride home.

– anonymous

Location: New York City, NY

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Include your location and it will be added to the Street Harassment Map.

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Toronto man charged after subway sexual assault

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Last month around 5 p.m., a man tried to start a conversation with a 28-year-old woman when she boarded a TTC subway train at Coxwell station, in Toronto.

From The Star.com:

“The man reached out and sexually assaulted the woman after failed attempts to engage her in conversation, she told police. Both the man and the complainant exited at Kennedy station, where the man was last seen heading toward the bus platform area. Officers investigating the incident issued an arrest warrant for [the man], on July 30. Yesterday, he turned himself in to police. He faces one charge of sexual assault and three counts of fail to comply with probation.”

And there are people who wonder why women worry about talking to strange men! Or even not talking to them! Quite a lot of women say they ignore the harassing men and recommend other women ignore men as a method for getting away safely and without a scene, yet that doesn’t always work, as this incident illustrates. She did ignore him and he escalated his actions to sexual assault. It’s scary to think there is no way to respond that guarantees safety or dignity.

I’m glad she reported him though and that the police took it seriously. I encourage everyone else to do so too if they are similarly harassed or assaulted.

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Alternative use for scissors

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Once when I was about 15 years old I was riding the subway when a man with an obvious erection weaved his way through the crowded car to stand directly in front of my friend and myself and proceeded to masturbate. As I was in the custom of carrying around a sharp pair of scissors, I pulled it out and stared at him as icily as possible until he retreated to a seat on the other side of the car.

– anonymous

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Include your location and it will be added to the Street Harassment Map.

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How does it just "pop out"?

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Remember the story I reported on yesterday, where a woman snapped a cell phone picture of a man masturbating on the subway and reported it to the police where an officer (a woman, even) said to call 311 about it?  Well, yesterday afternoon two cops recognized the alleged subway masturbator from his picture and arrested him (without incident). Via NBC news:

“[Kevin] Bishop reportedly gave cops a wacky explination for why he was exposing himself.

“It just popped out!” Bishop told police after his arrest, according to the New York Post .

“Yes, that’s me in the pictures,” he confessed. “My private parts fell out. I looked down and it was out. It just popped out! I was trying to put it back.”

Bishop said that he “deeply apologize[d] for what happened….

Bishop was charged with public lewdness, cops said. He’s got quite a long rap sheet, including 64 arrests and 24 convictions on charges ranging from loitering to prostitution and drug possession.”

Riiiight. It just ‘popped out.’ The woman’s story differs. She says he was masturbating and looking right at her while doing so. She had sunglasses on and he didn’t observe her taking his photo with her cell phone.

Oh and how many times is a person able to get arrested because Bishop seems well on his way toward achieving that number. 64 prior arrests?! No wonder he went without incident when he got arrested. It’s a regular routine for him!

Also, the police officer who told the woman just to call 311 is now saying she meant to tell her to call 911… Right..wasn’t she at a police station already? Why would she need to call 911?

I’m glad they caught the masturbator and I hope it helps deter other guys from being completely inappropriate on public transportation. If you see someone being inappropriate, snap their picture and report it too!

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