I was walking back to the car from Adams Morgan in a group of 5 women, and we passed 2-3 men standing in the little triangular plaza on Columbia Rd. near Euclid St. One of them started walking with us, asking us “What are five girls like you doing out here all alone? Why don’t you have any men with you?” as if he was doing us some kind of favor by following us down the sidewalk. We kept walking, some of us ignoring him and others asking him to please stop following us as his friends behind us laughed. The man kept commenting on our appearances and the fact that we needed some company, until finally I demanded that he stop following us and let us return to our car alone.

He walked back to his friends, but we continued to hear them laughing and shouting loudly at us, following us at a distance for the next couple of blocks. We were all a little bit nervous and freaked out that they continued to follow us, but none of us looked back in case it would encourage them. We passed a couple walking their dog, who turned back to see what the commotion was about, but said nothing to us. They eventually stopped following us and we made it back to the car fine, but were all feeling a little shaken up from the experience.

Submitted by anonymous on 9/29/2010

Location: Columbia Rd. & Euclid St. NW

Time of Harassment: Late Night (12A-5A)

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