Jul 27, 2007 12:31 am US/Eastern
Straphangers: Lewd Conduct Common On Subway
New Report Reveals It's Not Just Women Being Offended
NEW YORK (CBS/AP) ―
The daily $2 subway ride comes for many city straphangers with the peril of unwanted advances, lewd comments or random groping as they zip beneath the city, according to a report released Thursday on subterranean sexual harassment.
The report, titled "Hidden in Plain Sight," found that 63 percent of those responding reported they were sexually harassed on the subways. Of that group, 96 percent said they didn't report the incident -- an indication that lecherous behavior on the trains is often accepted, said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.
"The credo of `what happens underground, stays underground' has got to be broken," said Stringer, who released the report. "The harassment and assault of women in the subway system has been going on for decades."
The survey was compiled from 1,790 responses collected from New York City subway riders in all five boroughs, although Stringer acknowledged the results were not scientific. Instead, the report said, the responses provide "an invaluable snapshot of a problem that persists but is inherently difficult to quantify."
The New York Police Department responded that crime on the transit system is at a record low, and police have arrested 119 people this year for sexual abuse or lewdness on the subways. Jeremy Soffin, spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said his agency's work with police has contributing to record numbers of subway riders.
"That said, we understand how important it is to provide a safe, secure and comfortable environment for our riders," said Soffin, citing increases in high-tech subway cars and video surveillance as evidence of the MTA's safety commitment.
Stringer's office partnered with 20 other groups in disseminating the survey via e-mail. The effort was praised by Gene Russianoff, staff attorney for the advocate Straphangers Campaign.
"At just about every community meeting I have attended in 25 years as a transit advocate, riders have complained to me about being the victim of inappropriate sexual harassment," Russianoff said.
The report defined harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, flashing, groping, fondling and public masturbation. The vast majority of the victims were females, the study indicated.
Stringer suggested the problem could be addressed by an increased police presence and a public awareness program, particularly stressing the need to report any incidents to authorities.
"We need a mechanism for reporting this, where people feel comfortably enough to talk about it," he said.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
