Headed to a subway next month: New SubTalk posters that remind straphangers groping is a crime and encourage any victims to report incidents to an MTA employee or a police officer.
Last month, it was rumored NYC Transit didn't want to run the campaign, due to concerns it would actually increase the number of unwanted gropings (you know, the way the anti-littering ads increase littering). Now the NY Post reports "the first 2,000 posters will be distributed throughout the system and should remain up for at least three months" as NYC Transit assesses the impact.
HollaBack NYC, the site which posts victims' accounts of street--and subway-harrassers, is pleased the MTA will run the ads. Hollaback NYC co-founder Emily May told us, "We really believe public education is the best way to address sexual harassment," since victims will feel empowered to step forward and laws around verbal harassment are vague. May also said she hopes the MTA will also offer hotline for people to call in their complaints and that the NYPD adds police sensitivity training so that reports are captured effectively and sensitively.
