BAD experience on train. 17 year old female vs 20 something man.

this male humanoid (doesn’t deserve to be called a man) is scum, he has no right to do what he did…

not sure what the rules are in Australia pertaining to personal defense, but here in the States, using a can of pepper foam (don’t use the spray, it’s too indiscriminate, foam can be targeted to a pinpoint area, no sprayover) or a handheld stungun would be permissible

personally, if this scum attempts to assault you again, i could see the following scenario playing out (assuming you have one of the low profile stunguns)…

scum attempts to assault Princess in the same manner as before
Princess grabs her Cell-Phone Stungun and positions the probe to impact the scum’s nether reasons, and proceeds to jolt the perp with 180,000 volts right in the happy-sacs

perp drops to the ground, twitching and unconcious

Princess makes an offhand comment about how perp must be an epileptic in a seziure, and gets away from the perp unharmed, then proceeds to tell the local law enforcement to pick up the human garbage in the train…

***this is not an endorsement of the above action, just a description of what might happen if the following variables existed, check with your local law enforcement on the legality of stunguns and mace first… ****

Fortunately, I’ve never encountered a frotteur. But I have travelled by public transport all my life, and have been sexually harrassed three times. It’s amazing how dirty it made ME feel, at the time, for a day or so, while the fault was the guys.

Once, I noticed by his heavy breathing and from the movement I saw from the corner of my eye, that a guy (business type, trenchcoat) was jerking off in the seat behind me. I just moved to another seat further away.

Two months ago, a guy in the seat across from me the path started fondling himself through his jeans. I guess part of the exitement for him was that in the full carriage I was the only one in a position to see him, unless somebody would come walking through. Again, I got up without looking at him ( I didn’t want to give him that satisfaction) and sat somewhere else. I did call my BF on my cellphone to come get me from the trainstation, to be on the safe side, though.
Bah, I still feel annoyed thinking about it, and wish I could have made the guy as uncomfortable as he made me. But I can’t think of anything. He’d jsut have sat up quicly and denied it.

One last story: when I was 13, I boarded an empty bus, waiting for departure at the bustation. I sat down on my favourite seat, in the back, next to the window. A 20-something guy, boarded the bus shortly after me and sat next to me, snuggling up to me.
I must have been incredible naive, but it never occurred to me he was after me sexually. Being a polite girl, I made some conversation with him about the school book I was reading (It was about classical Greece). He seemed interested in the subject, but kept snuggling closer and closer to me, untill he had me pinned in the corner. Then it dawned on me: of course, this guy wasn’t being friendly! The bastard *was after my seat! * He wanted the back-bench all to himself!
I closed my book, looked at him indignantly and said “Okay, you can sit here if you want.” Quickly, I rose, wriggeled past him and walked briskly to the front seat, where I sat down and resumed reading my book on Classical Greece.
A few minutes later, the guy rushed out the bus without looking at me. In hindsight, I think he was a pedophile of some sort, and my response had flabbergasted him so he didn’t know how to act - much like a lioncub doesn’t know what to do with a gazelle that won’t run away.
Ever since, I still think the unexpected, unafraid response will puzzle and distract these guys more then anything else. In your case, if I had had time to collect my wits, I might have said, in a loud voice, something like: “Sir, you’re rubbing up to me. Please, I’d like to know why. And what, exactly, do you mean with “You cunt, I’m going to get you?””

But then again, I’ve travelled by public transport for thirty years, and these three experiences don’t weigh against countless peaceful travels and dozens of pleasant friendly or amusing encounters. :slight_smile:

Some years ago, a friend of mine was riding the subway during rush hour. All of a sudden, she felt a hand rubbing her butt. She quickly turned around, grabbed the guy by the wrist, raised his hand up in the air and proclaimed in a very loud voice, “LOOK WHAT I FOUND ON MY ASS.” Hilarity ensued, and the guy exited the train at the next stop.

Cajun Man, your friend wins at life. :smiley: Rock on!

Atheist Princess, is there any way you could go with a friend or someone you know on your next subway trip?

Unfortunately no, there isn’t. I only make that trip once a week. And my friend shall be picking me up from the station until I feel safe again.

I have looked into the stun gun/pepper foam. Stun guns are illegal as far as I know but if pepper spray is ok…Kmart here I come :stuck_out_tongue:

I cant wait to see his guy. Hopefully it’ll be in the middle of the city, and I can tape something on his back like “PERVERT” or “I MASTURBATE ON TRAINS”. The sheer humiliation should be enough :smiley:

ps. Cajun Man, your friend is my hero

Should you not be able to find pepper spray, etc. a small spray bottle of perfume will do - it stings just as much or some cayenne mixed with water will do too.

The pure thought of the peppered-water makes me cringe.

ponders

smiles. first thoughtfully. then evilly

satisfied smile :slight_smile:

Two words:

Breath spray.

Ever gotten it in your eyes? THE PAIN!

But legal to purchase, carry and use everywhere that I am personally aware of.

I, also, am a fan of loud announcements. I can attest from personal experience that a train full of random commuting strangers will be delighted to assist a young woman with a pervert.

I was riding the subway home from work in NYC and a fairly young woman (22 - 23 I’d estimate) turned around abruptly and shouted “GET YOUR HAND OFF MY ASS YOU PERVERT!” to a guy who I’d noticed a little earlier standing a LOT closer to me than he had to (before I got a seat and moved away from him). Half the train was perfectly happy to hold on to him while someone fetched a cop. But then, the train stations in Manhatten are more-likely-than-not to have a police officer somewhere around.

You might also consider alerting a conductor (if there is one) if it happens again. They can for sure hold him for the police to come pick him up and take him away.

gasp!

You’re so evil! So malicious! So twisted and wicked and demented!

I knew there was a reason I liked you. :smiley:

I’d be very careful of spraying pepper spray on a packed commuter train. Your fellow non-assaultive passengers will thank you for not getting the mist in their eyes. Even touching a surface that has gotten overspray, then your face can put you in a world of hurt. Just FYI. Breath spray, or perfume might be better. It’s a tighter stream, and AFAIK, not as potent secondhand as pepper spray is. Try to get a picture of the guy if you can, but make sure you get away safely. Did they offer to have a sketch artist try to render any kind of likeness at all? Did they think you’d seen enough to do so? Good luck with this. Definitely yell, and get help. The words “I don’t know him” might also be useful.

Not to pee in your rice or anything, but you might well keep in mind that seeing this jerk-off, walking up, pumping pepper spray towards him and angrily declaring that he felt you up last week will accomplish several things, none of which are likely to be your goal:

  1. Innocents will be injured. I make my living with my eyes. You spray pepper into MY eyes? You find yourself arrested. No joking around, and no excuses. I’d personally pin down and restrain anyone who sprayed pepper into my eyes with no reason. It’s called Assault with a concealed weapon around the USA…
  2. Unless this asshole is dumb enough to commit the same heinous act twice with you, you are attacking him in front of witnesses for something you claim happened a week ago ( or more ). Witnesses who watch you pour pepper spray into his eyes can only swear under oath as to what they saw- a woman walked up and blinded a man.
  3. Pepper spray can also cause respiratory distress- sometimes profound distress. Think about the 4 year old who you don’t see, who inhales what you are spraying towards this son of a bitch, only to go into respiratory distress and stop breathing. I’m athsmatic. It is entirely possible I’d not survive a faceful of pepper spray.

I am not in any way trying to defend animals like this, but I’m attempting to get you as the victim to make smart choices. The very last thing anyone would want is for you to wind up arrested for causing the injury or death of someone because you used pepper spray, or whatever other noxious propellant may come to mind.

Evil…surely :smiley: but right now…vengeful…

Cartoonivurse I am travel that exact route tonight and after speaking to the police, they told me that they suspect the same man of being a serial-doer (?) that has done it to one other girl for 3 days straigt before stopping. So i he is stupid enough to try ANYTHING on me again tonight…

PSSHHTT Mouth Spray in the eyes (Spearment flavour for the added effect)

Even if I dont ever see him again, I will be taking all of these suggetions into consideration so that if a similar situation should arise, I would have the…er…balls…to do something on the spot :slight_smile:

WHAT A TERRIBLE TYPO! My deepest apologies Cartooniverse!

Ha ha ha. You be the making many other grammar and splling mstakes in that post.
:stuck_out_tongue:

You’re right :frowning: but I blame my boss. I’m at work, on a different pc than usual and the guy just won’t leave me alone to get back to my Dope! :smiley:

I’d suggest either the mouth spray or unscented hairspray. Whatever you do, do NOT use perfume, unless you want a trainload of migraine sufferers to come down on you.

:wink:

I’d be surprised if something of this sort (though maybe not to this degree) HASN’T happened to any female who regularly uses public transportation. How pathetic. Last time it happened to me I just glared and exited the car, since I didn’t feel threatened at all. But if I did, it’s all well and good to claim I’d make a scene but who knows? Not only are women socialized not to make waves, we’re taught to err on the side of caution, which often results in a post-incidental “If only I’d…” scenario. The sad part is that if you did make a fuss, I’m not sure any of us could assure you that the people around you wouldn’t just avert their eyes and try to ignore it all. At the very least, I can say that I’ve come to the aid of fellow commuters who were being harassed- I hope all bus/train-riders here can say the same, male or female.
My advice? Tell him you’ve already snapped his pic, true or not. And though he sounds more pathetic and dangerous, if he follows you again ask another commuter if they’ll walk with you to your lift.

…pathetic than dangerous…

I was always taught as a child (I have NO idea why) that in times likes these, treat the man as if he were a snake. Stand very still and silent. Dont run. Damn my grandmother…turn me passive :mad: All I have learnt from that is that men in htis situation DO act like snakes…they hiss, attack, kill.

I think I’m going to stick with my dads reasoning…“See a snake, beat the living bajeezus out of it” :smiley:

I wonder if pepper spray works on snakes :cool:

[QUOTE=SiegeI try to act like a lady, but that presumes the men around me are acting like gentlemen. If they don’t, then all bets are off.[/QUOTE]

Siege, you’re very smart. :slight_smile: