Unsafe on my own street: “It’s ridiculous that I even have to worry about this.”
Location: Georgia Avenue & Quincy Street NW (Petworth)
Time: Daytime (9:30am-3:30pm)
On a Sunday afternoon, I was on my way home from yoga. I’d realized that I’d left my keys inside my apartment (that I share with roommates who were home at the time, luckily).
After getting off Metro at the Petworth stop, I was walking up to my front door, texting my roommate to let me in, when a man on the corner whistled at me in a very cat call-y way.
Usually I don’t engage with these people, but this time I just snapped — I was flustered about my key situation, hot and tired from yoga, and enraged that I have to deal with this. As I walked past him, I turned up my middle finger. He immediately yelled back, “Asshole!” I didn’t respond and went inside.
What scares me, though, is I saw him on the same corner tonight as I came home from work. I’m worried that he might be staking me out for retaliation. My roommates and I have agreed that if we see him tomorrow night, we’re going to file a complaint. It’s ridiculous that I even have to worry about this.
Do you have a personal experience with gender-based public sexual harassment or assault?
Submit your story to help raise awareness about the pervasiveness and harmful effects of street harassment. All submissions are posted anonymously unless otherwise specified.
If you experience or have experienced sexual harassment on the DC Metro system:
Whether the event is happening at the moment or occurred months ago, we strongly encourage you to report to Metro Transit Police (MTP): www.wmata.com/
