Train

Anna

On the DC metro, an employee started calling out to me in the train. I ignored him. He became more aggressive. I pulled out my cell phone to make a video, being as discrete as possible. He said: “you taking a video?” and started threatening to hit the phone out of my hand if I didn’t stop. I reported this to the station manager, who couldn’t find any metro transit police, so he told me to call a number. Then another number. Then that guy said his manager would come take a report in person. He didn’t. So the guy said to send the video. I sent it. He told me the harasser was a train supervisor. Then he told me to call another number (during business hours– it was now 8pm). I never did, because I never had time during business hours and because I was shocked that the worst that would happen to this supervisor, is that he’d spend a day learning about customer relations, possibly a day of suspension. And nothing else. Nothing. I was expecting he’d be fired. This 6-foot-something guy was threatening to hit me !! Only reason he didn’t, was that his buddy was standing next to him, and because I was making a video.

Ashlee

I was on a very packed train when an intoxicated guy comes on and makes his way to the back. He begins verbally harassing multiple people and unbeknown to the woman in front of him, pretends to shove his hand up her skirt. Smiling/laughing and winking at the college boys near him who start to egg him on, this guy goes to actually grab her ass and people who are much closer than I was watch as he does so with looks of disgust or indifference on their faces – ultimately don’t try and stop him! Just as he was about to grab her I smacked his hand away and said a stern “No” even though I was scared he would begin to hassle me. Luckily he looked utterly frightened (must have been my angry face) and got off on the next stop.

Lizzie

There is a guy on a table seat near me who is manspreading over two seats chilling. Fine. But he has placed his overnight bag in the middle of the seats opposite him which means I can’t do my work. Now last year, I was sat practicing a gcse paper, taking up one table seat when I was verbally abused by 6 drunk grown men who wanted to sit together. I was scared and no one stood up to me while they were swearing at this 15 y/o girl. If they had asked me to move, I would have out of courtesy. How is this fair?