Harassment on London underground / problem around the world?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From Dazed

How sexual harassment on public transport affects women around the world

As reports of harassment on London’s underground soar, Dazed explores the global scale of the problem and speaks to women about their experiences

Posting this as a poll to get anonymous votes as feedback. I appreciate this is very personal; I will declare that I have to vote "yes".

[johoare]

I have also voted.. I also had to vote "yes" which I am sure has been mentioned elsewhere on this forum a while back
It would be good to get some more votes as only 10 so far!

[grahame]

I have also voted.. I also had to vote "yes" which I am sure has been mentioned elsewhere on this forum a while back
It would be good to get some more votes as only 10 so far!

Jo, I have posted on Facebook to encourage more of our members to vote.  And let's "bump" the post tomorrow too so that it comes up as a fresh post for only occasional visitors.  I do not want to comment on results to date prior while the poll remains open.

[johoare]

Good idea Graham.. Hope it was ok to mention how many voted so far!

[Phil]

I had to respond "no" which is true; however I was sexually harassed in the 1990s by a group of girls who seemed convinced I was a pop star, causing me to leave the train several stops early and seek the advice of (a female member of) staff, who could see I was pretty shaken by the incident.

Unfortunately however the quoted survey only asks how women around the world are affected.

So it goes.

[johnneyw]

Back in the early 80's on the Circle Line, a drunk was over acceptably familiar with the young lady I was out with. It was a fine line between being sufficiently assertive to make clear his attentions were unwelcome and picking a fight on the platform  BTW^▸ (by the way), no further incident resulted and he was probably saved from dire consequences from her, not me!

[grahame]

I had to respond "no" which is true; however I was sexually harassed in the 1990s by a group of girls who seemed convinced I was a pop star, causing me to leave the train several stops early and seek the advice of (a female member of) staff, who could see I was pretty shaken by the incident.

Unfortunately however the quoted survey only asks how women around the world are affected.

So it goes.

The quoted article might have been about women being harassed but the question was very carefully written to cover harrasment irrespective of gender. In putting the question I was / am aware of the sort of situation you describe, and I would encourage you to go back and alter your answer in view of that if you wish.

Good idea Graham.. Hope it was ok to mention how many voted so far!

That's fine (not that it's my prerogative for it to be fine or not) ... I was just looking to avoid giving the relative weight of votes for each possible answer.

[grahame]

Has someone close to you (or you yourself) been sexually harassed on public transport?

If you've not voted yet - please do so today.

Link to top of thread to do so: http://www.passenger.chat/22323

[grahame]

6 voted "yes", 20 voted "no" and there are two who are "don't know".

This was not a "test of opinion" poll.  One vote "yes" is one vote too many.  And six out of 28 - about a quarter of those who voted - is shocking.

When I start a poll on the forum, I do so for a reason - to help inform and to follow up on various things I'm working on better informed. I am certainly better informed now, thank you everyone who took part. Saddened that the number of "yes" replies in our small sample was so high, but also aware that people who think "yes" may have been more likely to answer than people who think "no".   And understanding from chatting it through at home that "don't know" can come for various reasons, including a suspicion of harassment in parallel with wondering if an interaction may have been simply an accidental brush against in a crowded train.  But there were just two "don't know"s. There were six "yes"s.

[eXPassenger]

I am surprised that there were not more Don't Knows.  My daughter (early 30s) lives and works in London.  I have no idea if she has felt harassment and I would count her as 'someone close to me'.  Surely others are in a similar position.