Thread by @tiffstevenson

A thread of harassment in several parts

1AM Northern Line

Having finished my late night shows I get on the train at Leicester Sq as do 2 young women in their early 20’s . Following them on is a drunk man not wearing a coat about 6ft & talking at them.

They are nervously responding , politely , in that way that women do when they want to make a situation ok. He starts saying ‘come back to mine I have a garden and a roof terrace’ at this point he is stood up. The girls clock me & I monitor the situation.

He then begins to ask them where they are from then , where they live , one of the girls says ‘don’t tell him’ & the other changes the conversation. This man is being indulged because it’s late at night and he is a threat. He repeatedly asks them where they live.

One of the girls strikes up a conversation with me about my bag tactic women often use. Which I now know means I have to intervene. The man takes exception to us talking and sits down next to them. One of the girls recognises me and we start talking about comedy at which point

the guy leans in again to ask where they are going . I say ‘dude leave them alone they are not interested’ and he is immediately so aggressive ‘what’s it got to do with you we are having a conversation? They want to talk to me’

I say ‘No they don’t they are being polite and you are not taking a hint’ then he flies into narcisstic rage. I say go away and stop asking them where they live and the girls ask him to leave them alone.

Then he is screaming at me how DARE you we are just talking’ I said ‘no you were cracking on to them & inviting them back to your house’ then he screams ‘NO I NEVER DON’T YOU DARE PUT WORDS IN MY MOUTH YOU BITCH aggressively jabbing his fingers in my face.

I say ‘Calm done , take the no & leave them alone’ . At this point another guy on the train gets up & moves down the carriage because he can see what’s going on

Rage dude is shouting and jabbing about how I making stuff up and the girls reiterate how they’d like to be left alone . Then in a last gasp form of defence he shouts ‘I’m gay what do you think I’m going to do to them?’ & I say ‘So what?‘ which he wasn’t expecting

I say ‘When women are alone at night men are a threat ‘ Also I didn’t believe that for a second as I’ve never known any of my gay male friends to pitch a shit fit when being asked why they were harassing women at night and also THEY DON’T HARASS VUNERABLE WOMEN AT NIGHT

Also as a broad rule they are onside with feminists. He then said ‘It’s fine I’m getting off the next stop anyway’ I said ‘Actually it’s not fine’ and I point out that another man has moved down the carriage to sit with us because of his aggressive behaviour

The women are very sweet and thank me for intervening and I can’t not because I’ve experienced this shit my whole life. Also we always have to look after each other. I’ve spoken about this in my stand up before because I’m tired of the lack of nuance around it . Some tired idea

...that men aren’t allowed to talk to women anymore. Of course you can but don’t approach them at night , when they are vunerable and take the hint when they don’t want to. That’s your ego men when you get a NO take it . DON’T REPEATEDLY ASK THEM WHERE THEY LIVE

It’s so boring that we keep having to indulge this because women are in fear of violence ALL THE TIME . I’ve posted before about women being harrassed when travelling. If uncertain don’t approach us , it’s not a bar or a restaurant or public park. We are trying to get home ALIVE

There are so many incidents where women don’t make it home. So anything you do as a man that threatens us or makes us feel like we won’t make it home safe makes you a fucking DOUCHE . I know the girls follow me on here so I hope you made it home OK

And I really want things to be better for the next generation of women. So women let’s keep looking after each other and men like that SORT YOUR SHIT OUT as it will no longer be tolerated