I’m starting an internship on Monday and I just got to D.C. today. So I thought I’d do a little exploring. I was walking down 14th St. toward Pennsylvania Ave. A man was walking behind me and he said “I like your pocketbook.” I turned to see if he was talking to me and he was, so I said “Thanks.” I continued to walk but he started walking next to me. Then he started being “friendly” and he asked what I did for new year’s, etc.

Then he asked me if was in college. I told him I graduated, to which he responded “You’re over 18?”
I said yes. Then he said “Why don’t you come live with me?” I said no thank you.
And he said “I got about three women living with me, you can come too.”
“No thank you.”
“All we do is have sex all day long.”
“No thanks.”
“Come on, I’m being square with you. I’m being *circle* with you.”

I just kept saying no thank you until he finally muttered “I’m drunk” and went on to harass other people.

Later on, I was returning home and I was walking up 14th. I was around the I St. area and there was a woman walking past me in the opposite direction. She was older and she looked somewhat haggard and like she may not have been in her right mind. She was staring at me, but not at my face, at my lower body. She had her middle finger out and was moving it back and forth. I didn’t know what she was doing but I realized right afterward that she looked like she was gesturing at fingering someone (me?). I was kind of freaked out so I steered around her and as she walked by she called me a bitch.

In both situations I remained quiet because I didn’t know what else to do. I was thoroughly shaken, but I really just felt bad for both of them.

Submitted by anonymous on 1/1/2011

Location: 14th (first heading toward Pennsylvania), then around 14th and I St.

Time of Harassment: Day Time (9:30A-3:30P)

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