Last week we received a tip about this new anti-abuse bus stop ad. We are especially intrigued by the brilliant fusion of technology in Amnesty International’s new campaign. We know from recent stories that abuse is happening at DC bus stops.
According to Gizmodo, Amnesty International posted the ad in Hamburg, Germany. When you look the photo it is a picture of a happy couple but when you look away the guy punches the woman.
The billboard works by scanning its proximity with an eye-tracking camera, which triggers an image switch on the display panel when it senses someone looking at it. The change only occurs after a brief delay, so that observers understand what’s going on, and get the message. [Gizmodo]
Do you think DC would benefit from an ad campaign like this one?
Categories: Buses · WMATA
Tagged: ad campaign, public abuse, raising awarness, street harassment
Last night around 9PM I was walking from the Mt. Vernon Square Metro to Mass Ave for a friend’s birthday party. It was raining and I thought I could avoid harassers thanks to my umbrella but I should have known better…
On 7th and Mass, there is a guy standing on the corner talking on his cell phone and he yells, “Hey beautiful.” I ignore him. Then he yells again (keep in mind he is still on his cell phone), “Hey you! I said you were beautiful. Those are some nice legs you’ve got.” I turn around and say, “Stop harassing me!” The person he is talking to must have said something because I hear him say, “No, just talking to some bitch that walked by.”
Submitted by Anonymous
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Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: Mass Ave, street harassment, umbrella
The Red Line has been a mess since the tragic accident in late June. After work, I get on a very packed train. It’s awkward being smashed up against strangers, but for the most part, people are polite and you just sort of grin and bear it.
Photo by justindc via flickr
On one ride, I ended up face to face with another woman about my height. We’re both short and fairly well endowed, which, of course meant that rather than face to face, we had our breasts smashed against each other. She caught my eye and blushed and said “Well, this is awkward.” I agreed, and that was that.
Then the man standing behind her started making comments. He was tall enough to leer down on us, looking down both of our shirts. “Oh, baby, that’s hot. Let me get my camera. That’s the sort of thing movies are made of.” I’m pretty sure he was rubbing against her as she looked painfully uncomfortable and tried to shift out of his way. We both bolted from the train at the next stop, but it was an awful moment where we were trapped and couldn’t get away. I felt so bad for the other woman. After the fact, I wished that I had said something to him, but at the same time, there was no violence and the incident ended once we were gone, and really, that’s the best outcome.
Location: Metro/Red Line leaving Gallery Place
Submitted by Anonymous
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Categories: Chinatown · Metro · WMATA
Tagged: camera, Red Line, sexual harassment, street harassment
