I was waiting on the metro platform for the greenline to my job in Chinatown one Tuesday morning a few weeks ago. I was propped up against a pillar minding my own business, listening to my ipod when a man approached me. I ignored him and he kept waving his arms in my face incessantly trying to get my attention. Nobody else was around and I felt a little uncomfortable but I’m not stranger to the area and know how persistent some men can be. I continued to ignore him until he quickly stepped very closely and attempted to take out my ear buds. I immediately grabbed his hands and screamed “DO.NOT.TOUCH.ME.” He then pulled his arm back to swing, in which case another man who caught on to the situation yelled for the guy to “knock it off.”

I’m no stranger to situations like these, ones where I’m minding my own business and a stranger decides to disrespect me simply because they feel the dire urge to try and talk to me. The train finally came and before things could escalate I got on my train leaving the man to scream about what a “stupid fat bitch” I was from the platform. Great way to start my morning.

Submitted on 6/26/12 by “Erica Moreno”

If you experience or have experienced sexual harassment on the DC Metro system:
Please consider reporting to Metro Transit Police; www.wmata.com/harassment, on Twitter at @WMATAharassment, or 202-962-2121.

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