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I danced against sexual assault on the tube to reclaim it for women I danced against sexual assault on the tube to reclaim it for women
(2 months later)
This week the British Transport Police have launched Project Guardian, which encourages victims to report sexual harassment and assault on London's buses and trains. For me, this news has personal significance, and I support it wholeheartedly.This week the British Transport Police have launched Project Guardian, which encourages victims to report sexual harassment and assault on London's buses and trains. For me, this news has personal significance, and I support it wholeheartedly.
When a man pressed his erection against me on a crowded tube carriage, it's hard to describe exactly how I felt. As he started breathing heavily down my neck, my body clenched and I willed the next stop to come so I could untangle myself and get to work. On arriving in the office I found semen streaked down the back of my legs, and my heart sank. I scuttled off to the toilets to clean myself up before my morning meeting.When a man pressed his erection against me on a crowded tube carriage, it's hard to describe exactly how I felt. As he started breathing heavily down my neck, my body clenched and I willed the next stop to come so I could untangle myself and get to work. On arriving in the office I found semen streaked down the back of my legs, and my heart sank. I scuttled off to the toilets to clean myself up before my morning meeting.
In the days that followed I began to joke about it, to laugh it off as "just one of those things", another story to add to the list. It fell in line with the litany of gropes, cat-calls and harassment that I'd been dealing with since I was a teenager. I was able to file it away in the box labelled "feeling unsafe around men", but what I didn't realise at the time was that that box was already full-to-bursting.In the days that followed I began to joke about it, to laugh it off as "just one of those things", another story to add to the list. It fell in line with the litany of gropes, cat-calls and harassment that I'd been dealing with since I was a teenager. I was able to file it away in the box labelled "feeling unsafe around men", but what I didn't realise at the time was that that box was already full-to-bursting.
Over the year that followed I became increasingly angry, until eventually it was all I could talk about. Every time I was shouted at in the street I wanted to shout back, I just wasn't sure how to. I decided to tell my story in a blogpost, but it didn't seem quite enough. I wanted to really take ownership of what happened to me, to express how I felt, and to take back the tube for myself and for all women who had been sexually assaulted on it.Over the year that followed I became increasingly angry, until eventually it was all I could talk about. Every time I was shouted at in the street I wanted to shout back, I just wasn't sure how to. I decided to tell my story in a blogpost, but it didn't seem quite enough. I wanted to really take ownership of what happened to me, to express how I felt, and to take back the tube for myself and for all women who had been sexually assaulted on it.
So on International Women's Day I went back to the spot where my incident happened. I held a sign explaining what had happened to me, and I danced. I danced my protest, and it felt right. It was petrifying, exhilarating, and soothing all at once, and it was absolutely fitting.So on International Women's Day I went back to the spot where my incident happened. I held a sign explaining what had happened to me, and I danced. I danced my protest, and it felt right. It was petrifying, exhilarating, and soothing all at once, and it was absolutely fitting.
Overwhelmingly, I was met with kindness. I will always remember the faces of the people who put their books down to watch me, the people that clapped in support, who smiled with encouragement, the woman who nodded reassuringly, the looks of concern. I'm grateful for the people that came to share their own stories, who expressed their anger, and who asked me what we can do to make real change.Overwhelmingly, I was met with kindness. I will always remember the faces of the people who put their books down to watch me, the people that clapped in support, who smiled with encouragement, the woman who nodded reassuringly, the looks of concern. I'm grateful for the people that came to share their own stories, who expressed their anger, and who asked me what we can do to make real change.
Online I was inundated with stories that were unbelievably similar to my own. Women in New York, Paris and all over the world who were standing up and shouting about what had happened to them.Online I was inundated with stories that were unbelievably similar to my own. Women in New York, Paris and all over the world who were standing up and shouting about what had happened to them.
There were others who couldn't understand it – they didn't see what difference a dance could make. My response to those people was that dancing made most sense to me as a form of protest, that I was responding with my body in the exact place that my body was abused, and that while I couldn't sing or shout very loudly, I could dance loudly.There were others who couldn't understand it – they didn't see what difference a dance could make. My response to those people was that dancing made most sense to me as a form of protest, that I was responding with my body in the exact place that my body was abused, and that while I couldn't sing or shout very loudly, I could dance loudly.
As for me, I'm happier now. I feel a unity with all the women across the world who refuse to be silent. I feel supported by the men who are actively looking out for incidents similar to mine, ready to take action, and I encourage everyone to report all abuse on public transport so that we can begin to make real substantive and sustainable change.As for me, I'm happier now. I feel a unity with all the women across the world who refuse to be silent. I feel supported by the men who are actively looking out for incidents similar to mine, ready to take action, and I encourage everyone to report all abuse on public transport so that we can begin to make real substantive and sustainable change.
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