Terrifying Account of Sexual Assault on Muni
Photo by Mike Dillon
Blogger Brittney Gilbert, formerly the blog producer with CBS5, wrote a first-person account of a horrifying sexual assault on Muni. From her personal blog:
The bus continued to lurch down busy Market Street. I pulled the cord to signal that I wanted off when the bus was due to stop again at 5th and Market.
I stood a few seconds before the bus came to a halt, a clear indiction that I was getting out and off the bus. When the bus stopped the man to my right swiveled his legs around rather than stand, so I took a wide step to get around him and as I did he grabbed me between my legs.
Without thinking I turned and swung my heavy purse containing a server’s book, a hardback journal and loose, sharp pens at his head, but barely connected. I think the purse grazed his face. I screamed FUCK YOU, also without thinking, and fled off the bus.
Anyone would be shaken up by something so horrifying and violating. When Brittney went to report the crime, she was almost discouraged from it. You can read the rest of her account on her personal blog.
Scary, but it happens. And much more frequently than it’s reported, too.
I remember catching the 43 bus during the morning commute. The bus was packed like a sardine. A man was standing behind me breathing thru my neck. The bus moving thinking to myself, he just accidently bump into me. Later I realized he was humping me from behind. I wasn’t able to move away since I was stuck there until some passengers were able to let out. I never felt so violated in my whole life.