“a man in a dark leather jacket and longish hair and glasses said “Nice tits” into my ear”

New submission from bee

I walking past Bayswater tube station at 10.19pm on Saturday 30th June when a man in a dark leather jacket and longish hair and glasses said “Nice tits” into my ear. He was maybe a little younger than my own father, about late 40s to 50s. I was wearing black trousers and a tee and blazer and had little make-up and berkinstocks. Didn’t say anything but watched him walk away without looking back to see me, so I ran after him and took his photo as he got on the tube. It made me feel degraded and like I shouldn’t have been feeling sexy in my outfit and worried about going out looking good. I wanted to yell “oi Nice Tits! You’re old enough to be my Dad, you pervert!” but I felt that would put my safety in jeopardy. Not yelling or reacting to it because of my fear made me feel powerless and angry. Spoke to my boyfriend about it and had a cry and a cuddle when I got home. I wish it was dealt with by the police sometimes because it’s disgusting.

A man, short and plump, pressed up against me and he had an erection.

New submission from Hannah

This happened some time back but it still upsets me to remember it.

I was in a crowded tube train at rush hour. A man, short and plump, pressed up against me and he had an erection. I could feel him pushing it into my backside and I couldn’t get away. This went on for several minutes, until the train stopped and he jumped off. He was wearing black jogging bottoms and I saw him walking off with a newspaper in front of his crotch to conceal his erection.

I wish I had done something at the time to make him stop and draw attention to his harassment. At the time, I felt trapped and frightened. I also had a strange feeling of being under his control and that he had power over me. That was probably the worst thing of all.

The doors slid open and the man was stood there with his flies down, exposing himself at my eye level.

New submission from Jo

I’d just finished work and was waiting on the Northern Line platform at Warren Street station. The tube arrived and I waited for the doors to open. The platform wasn’t busy and there was only me trying to get on the tube via my chosen doors. There was a man, maybe 35-40, on the tube, staring out the window at me. I fleetingly thought about moving to another carriage but I quite enjoy pushing past a starer and knocking him with my bag full of books. So I stayed put. The doors slid open and the man was stood there with his flies down, exposing himself at my eye level. Grim. I had a slightly delayed reaction and had already embarked the train. I was really shocked, and pretty revolted, and didn’t really know what to do, so I moved into the centre of the carriage away from him. As I moved past him, he followed me with his hips, pointing his TINY penis at me and grinning. I muttered, ‘What the fuck is wrong with you?’ and he didn’t reply but started thrusting his hips. Weirdly, no one else reacted. All the seats were full, there was even a man stood next to him. And no one behaved like this was at all weird!

Tube Justice!

New submission from Anna

My friend and I were stood chatting in the aisle of the tube, between the seats. I felt something on the back of my leg and thought it must just be some one knocking me by accident but it happened again. And again. I moved out of the way, it happened again. I looked down and a man was deliberately rubbing his foot up and down the back of my knee. I stared at him as some seats opposite him became avialable. I carried on chatting as normal with my friend but out of the corner of my eye watched this man’s behaviour. he was alternately staring at us, trying to touch and intimidate the women either side of him (one of whom was almost on the floor, she was so far out of her seat!), touching my feet across the aisle, leering at us and generally behaving very strangely. I gauged the situation and considered the possibility that he might punch me before leaning over and saying loudly and clearly “ARE YOU DRUNK OR ARE YOU A CREEP, OR BOTH?” old touchy feely is a bit confused and shocked so I repeat; “ARE YOU DRUNK OR ARE YOU A CREEP OR BOTH? YOU ARE INVADING WOMEN’S PERSONAL SPACE AND MAKING PEOPLE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE AND IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE (more garbled shock and confusion from him).” I stared at him and lent into the aisle, mimicking him. At this point it looked as if he might cry! “IT ISNT NICE BEING STARED AT IS IT? IT ISNT NICE BEING TOUCHED AND YOUR PERSONAL SPACE ENCROACHED ON IS IT? ARE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE? GOOD, BECAUSE SO WERE WE.” I stopped at this point and he just burbled apologies claiming he didnt know what i was talking about or glanced shiftily around. I continued to stare at him, watching him squirm. He apologised and I said that I hoped that in future he would think about how his behaviour made women feel. Thankfully he got off the train a couple of stops later, I was beginning to worry I would have to keep up my bravado until Morden!! The woman across the aisle thanked me and said she didnt know how to deal with it. Nor did I but I’m glad I did what I did and didnt just ignore yet another experience of street (or tube!) harassment.

Happy International Women’s Day!