Friday, November 20, 2009

UPDATE to Sleeper, Squeezers, Lurkers, and More: Sexual Harassment Wide Spread on Mass Transit

In yesterday's post on subway behaviors, I touched briefly upon sexual harassment on mass transit, noting that the MTA in New York City had launched an anti-harassment campaign that included posters encouraging people to report these crimes. Today, the NYT featured an article in the New York Regional section that states sexual harassment on mass transit remains widespread, and is believed to be greatly under-reported.

Here are some facts reported by the article:
  • Peak hours for harassment are between 8 - 10 am and 4 - 6 pm, during rush hours.
  • The subway lines where this behavior is most prevalent include the 4, 5, and 6, particularly between Grand Central Terminal and Union Square.
  • The average offender is male, aged 37.
  • The majority of victims are females, aged 17 and older.
  • This year, police have made 412 arrests for sexual offenses.
    • Of this number, 71 had prior offenses on record.
    • Of the 71 with prior offenses, 14 were registered sex offenders, with 5 being in the most serious level of sex offender.
It's a jungle out there, folks. Be careful. And if you want to share a subway story, please add it to Sleepers, Squeezers, Lurkers, and More: Interacting With Subway Riders in Their Natural Habitat. Safe travels!


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