Depressingly, this is a story we all probably know too well. You're standing on a packed commuter train, when suddenly some guy thinks it's ok to take advantage of the situation by copping a feel, saying something disgusting in your ear or, as in the case, actually MASTURBATING on your leg. We know. So rank.
21 year-old Doris Chen was travelling on her way to sell poppies for Remembrance Sunday in November last year when she noticed some strange snuffling going on behind her.
‘I felt someone fidgeting on my bum so I imagined the worse and I was plucking up the courage to speak up when the fidgeting stopped,’ she told The Telegraph. ‘I thought, great - what a relief I don’t have to find the courage to do something about it. Then I felt a stream of wetness down the back of my leg.’
So, so horrible. This time, Doris decided she wasn't going to accept being sexually assaulted whilst innocently going about her business and took matters into her own hands by 'grabbing' the guy and, with the help of other commuters, restraining him until the police arrived. Because of her brave actions, 23-year-old Mohammed Islam has as just been given a 12-week prison sentence which is suspended for 18 months, has been placed on the Sex Offenders' Register and has been ordered to take 60 days of sexual offender specified activity. Bravo Doris.
Speaking about the sentence on her blog, Doris said that the ‘punishment is a good mixture of retribution, deterrence and reform. This punishment is justice.’
Although her actions were incredibly brave, Doris has also urged other victims of sexual harassment to go through the authorities and ‘report any incident of a sexual nature to the police or a member of staff, you will always be believed and taken seriously. Your evidence will help the police identify and catch perpetrators, and make sure officers are in the right place at the right time. Attend court and give evidence. Your testimony could be the difference between innocence and guilt. Take action when you are the victim or witness of unwanted sexual behaviour.’
Follow Sophie on Twitter @sophiecullinane
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.