“No one asked if I was ok. Nobody cared. Nobody even looked up.”
Location: Metro
Time: Evening Rush Hour (3:30pm-7:30pm)
I always fall asleep on the metro in a middle seat. That is the best thing in the world to fall asleep in a moving vehicle. One morning, I felt something in my lap. I didn’t think I had anything in my lap so I forced myself to wake up. I looked down and there was a hand touching my crotch. I stood up, pushed the old man out of his seat and yelled at him to get off of me.
No one asked if I was ok. Nobody cared. Nobody even looked up. Unfortunately, I did not take his picture or report him to Metro.
Now, I will only sit if I can find an aisle seat next to a woman. But the most frustrating thing about these incidents is people’s reactions when I tell them this story. They say, “Well, you shouldn’t have fallen asleep!”
Unacceptable.
The real question is, “Why can’t a man keep his hands to himself?”
If you fall asleep or wear a certain thing that doesn’t give anyone the right touch you. A woman should be able to do and wear whatever she wants and not feel afraid.
Submitted 4/2/18 by Anonymous. Photograph taken by Margaret Wroblewski, “I was on the metro when…” Project.
Do you have a personal experience with public harassment or assault in the DC area? Share your story with us. This helps to inform our work to make our community safer for everyone.
If you experience or have experienced sexual harassment on the DC Metro system: Whether the event is happening at the moment or occurred months ago, we strongly encourage you to report to Metro Transit Police (MTP): www.wmata.com/
If you need assistance in coping with public sexual harassment or assault, please contact the DC Rape Crisis Center (DCRCC) 24/7 crisis hotline at 202-333-RAPE (202-333-7279).
