Kathy
At age 14, I rode public transportation to and from school. My trip required a transfer to the bus to my home. There was a serial masturbator who would stalk me and get on my bus home. I was terrified first that this man knew my bus and would wait until I boarded and second that he knew my stop blocks from my home. This went on for over 2 years. No one stopped this man. No one even acknowledged that he was clearly masturbating in public, he kept his pants on, wore dark glasses and carried a cane. Not other passengers or the bus driver. I did everything I could to avoid this man. I would get off at the last minute to catch the next bus, I would take a different bus altogether once I knew he was on my bus, I would board several stops away. I was too young to understand it was illegal (I think). I didn’t want to tell my parents for fear I would lose my freedom to use public transportation. I thought it was my lot in life to simply deal with it. I thought it must be my fault for the way I looked. I was punished for arriving home late after school. Finally I told my boyfriend who told my parents. I think my parents reported it to the police. Even after being reported to the authorities, he would occasionally find my bus.I felt helpless and eventually left home. As an adult woman, it still freaks me out when my husband or boyfriend masturbates. I never was able to explain to my “intimate” partner why. Even when I was accused of being a prude or inhibited or whatever other BS they came up with to justify masturbating in front of me. Thank you for giving me space to tell why.