Was possibly molested, need some advice.
I think I was just molested. There were plenty of seats available on the bus when both of them boarded. All the priority seats were empty.
His friend occupied one of those seats and asked him, in Tamil, to sit with him. But this guy ignored him and stood super close to me. Like…uncomfortably close.
I could/should have moved sensing something wasn’t right, but I didn’t. He was holding the handgrip with one hand and with the other, on the rail. I was basically sandwiched between this guy and the yellow padded board thing.
I felt his hand brush against my back side. I assumed he touched me accidentally and gave him the benefit of the doubt. It happened a second time and I realised that this guy was trying to get fresh with me.
So I closed my hand, under my back side and over the railing and angled my elbow in a way so that it forced him to move back (he only moved a little). But he stopped touching me after that and got off a stop before mine.
I honestly was too tired to do anything about this. Also at the same time, I didn’t want to have a freakout over nothing and be “that” woman. Should I do something about this? Is it too late?
Now I can’t stop thinking about this guy being out there and trying this same shit on someone else. I’m feeling so stupid for not speaking out. Any thoughts or advice?
Netizens’ comments
- Make a police report ASAP while your memory of the incident is still fresh.
- Please ask someone accompany you, like your friend/sibling or parent.Do write down somewhere if u can recall details such timeline, bus, ezlink card record, bus stop get off, ezlink card has records of bus & time tap in/out,it will help you put facts for making the report at the police station.
You can request a female police official if you feel more comfortable.
Take care! - I’m so sorry this happened to you. A few weeks ago, a similar situation happened to me but it was on the train. A man was pressing up against my backside repeatedly even if there was space inside the carriage during rush hour. Like you, I was too tired to report it but it bothered me a lot. Maybe you can try to report it to the police? Maybe the bus had camera/s installed?
- (OP) Thanks for your kind words. And I’m sorry you had to go through that. Yeah, I will be making a police report.
- In general… Perhaps it’s because I’m an old woman now at a ripe old age of 45… I’m thinking that every girl should be prepared to channel their inner dragon or tigress energy to growl ferociously at any male that comes too close. I mean, in Singapore we are certainly empowered to speak up and stand up for ourselves at any time. Don’t let it progress till you are traumatised and then have to struggle about whether you should report it. It’s not like we will be in danger if we take an aggressive stance to defend ourselves in public. So if any male STARTS to do anything weird just glare him down and growl at him to keep his distance… you’d have averted a police situation for yourself and that fella. He might also realise that Singaporean ladies are not to be trifled with. The worst case scenario will be that guy claiming that you are crazy and quickly move away. Objective achieved.