Perverts in MRT

MRT is the busiest transit of all the 3 major trains in Metro Manila and it has the densest number of passengers especially during rush hours and sometimes surprisingly almost every hour. The MRT caters to thousands and thousands of passengers everyday and if you are new to Metro Manila and it is your first time to ride the MRT, it is one grueling, tiresome and offending ride. Because it caters a lot of passengers (which sometimes I believe the train is being overloaded), when the train makes a turn, you would feel that it will tilt a bit.

Since the MRT is always crowded and jam-packed with people (and LRT I believe so too), this is the perfect avenue for two kinds of people: The Pickpockets and The Groping Perverts. But I'd like to talk more of the latter as this is what most of my experiences are based to write this article.

Perverts in the Train

Well who would be surprised to know that sexual perverts and deviants would now flood one of the densest places in the metro. I believe that the MRT administration tried to regulate these kind of occurrences by actually separating women from men (I believe there were a lot of reports on molestation). But I do not see that being practiced strictly and properly too.

Sexual perversion and to some paraphilic interests can be seen very evidently in such crowded places where the non-consenting individuals cannot easily retaliate or respond. Most of my encounters are with males and it ranges from a young adult to late adults.

There are different forms of paraphilic interests that we can see and or experience inside the MRT or in crowded places in general. A paraphilia is a term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, situations or individuals that are not part of the normative stimulation and it involves sexual arousal and gratification towards sexual behavior that is atypical and extreme. But in the mid-20th century mental health practitioners started formalizing "deviant sexuality" where paraphilias now belong. I'll share to you some of the most common paraphilias I saw and encountered in MRT.

Frotteurism

One of the most common acts I usually encounter at the MRT. Frotteurism refers to the interest of rubbing one's pelvis or erect penis against a non-consenting person for sexual gratification. A person who practices frotteurism is called a frotteur. Majority of frotteurs I encountered were males but other frotteurs also exist such as female to male and male to male.

In one of my experiences, it is that pointy, bumpy and warm thing that keeps on bugging your behind as opposite to that pointy, blunt and cold thing that you feel when a gun is pointed at your behind during a hold-up. What's worse is that bugging pointy, bumpy and warm thingy is not satisfied bumping your pelvis but would insist on bumping it in the center. Pretty annoying and gives you a different offending feeling.

One thing about frotteurs that you would notice is that they stay close to you even though there is enough space to stand on. That is a sign that you are their target. You will notice that they usually stay at your back and commonly you will only feel that bumpy thing or their pelvis. Some frotteurs go beyond that basic act and there are those experience where I felt their entire body close to mine. In one occasion, I saw one frotteur who, with the "semi" consenting male passenger, already held the other person's pelvis and like you can see him starting to fondle him. Now that's a scene!

I know that there are also a lot of frotteurism done by male passengers to female passengers although I haven't seen one yet in my travels.

Groping

Groping is also more of like frotteurism but this time they now touch or fondle another non-consenting person. This term generally has a negative connotation and is considered a form of molestation in most societies. Meanwhile, touching a consenting person's body during sexual activity, massage or medical examination is not considered to be groping. The parts of the body most frequently groped includes buttocks, breasts and thighs but in my experience it is the males crotch or bulge.

The person who engages in groping is called a groper and commonly they use their hand to grope although pressing their hand over the non-consenting individual's body is already considered groping. Gropers often times do these in very crowded areas where there are high chances of being undetected or free of retaliation.

But if groping is done by consenting partners in a public place like the MRT, that is now called dogging. I haven't seen dogging yet but I have seen a groper and this time a "semi" consenting individual (I say "semi" because some of the passengers I saw where a little consenting to the groper by being passivists - or those that let the gropers do their thing) letting the groper feast on the individual's crotch then later the groper opened his zipper however the "semi" consenting individual retracted.

One of the traits I observed by gropers is that they usually have their bags placed in front of them and have their hands placed below their bags. The placement of their hand is directly at the center or on top of their crotches too. This stance is made so that there is a direct contact to the non-consenting individual's crotch.

Earlier today I have experience a "new kind" of groping. The groper actually extends his arms below to reach me because there are people in between us. It's like a new technique and this one's more daring I tell you. Most of the gropers I encountered use their hands and tries to press it against your body. Usually when the non-consenting person does not retaliate or respond, they now become more aggressive and starts to touch and fondle. One the individual still does not respond and to the case of males getting a hard-on or erection (due to the fondling as expected) then some of the gropers would go as far as opening the person's zippers or inserting their hand in his jeans to masturbate him.

Voyeurism

This is the third kind of paraphilia I also commonly see in MRT. But this is done by male passengers to female passengers who wear skirts or plunging necklines. Voyeurism is a sexual interest in or practice of spying on people engaged in intimate behaviors such sexual activity, undressing, taking a bath, peeing in a toilet or other activity usually considered to be of private nature. People who practice voyeurism are called voyeur and are habitual observers of other people without their knowledge and consent and with no necessary implication of sexual interests.

The usual voyeurs I chanced to see in MRT ranges from mild to a bit bold. Mild voyeurs usually tries to peek at a sitting non-consenting female passenger who is wearing a tight skirt. So ladies when you are riding in MRT, LRT, jeepneys or any public transport for that matter, always be aware to not let some voyeur eyes catch that skirt opening for they are quicker than you think they are. Some voyeurs would also chance to peek at the cleavage of female passengers.

A bolder voyeur I saw used a device - a mirror. He placed this mirror in his shoes and puts it right underneath the non-consenting female passengers skirt. Another form of this kind of voyeurism is where person placed the mirror on top of his bag (usually a backpack) and puts it in between his legs. If there is a chanced female passenger in skirt then he places his bag a little closer to her and voila! The rest is history.

Other Experiences

Aside from the madness and perversion happening inside the train, there are also those who also do other deviant sexual behaviors in the Male Comfort Rooms (well I can only speak of my experiences in the male comfort rooms unless someone tells me something fishy is also happening in females rest rooms).

Other voyeurs extend their "cockfest" in male comfort rooms where the urinals have no divider. They tend to see using their peripheral vision the cocks (or to some chicks, don't ask me why) of other non-consenting males. Well there are some who are responsive and when they kinda know they are being observed by the other person in the urinal they slightly show theirs proudly (now tell me about another paraphilia, exhibitionism). When that happens, the magic begins.

There are some who approached me when I went out of the train and asked me to come with them to check in a hotel nearby (wow tell me about being confident!). During those times, I am thinking if I look like a boy-for-rent (callboy in a lay man's term). Some of them will try to ask for your number or try to give their contact numbers to you either they hand it out to you or they use their phone to communicate to you. They try to use their phone as if they are texting but actually they are facing it to you. If you will notice it, you will see they typed their message there.

Common Traits

I have already said some of the common traits I have observed of these people. These traits and mannerisms are almost present in all of my experiences and those I have witnessed:

They usually look at you in the eye or they seemed looking for someone when they come in. This is their gesture of scanning for people whom they may victimize;

For some guys, I experienced that upon entry to the train, they will stare at you then they will look at your crotch and see if there are some obstruction;

They will stay close to you. Chances are if there will be a lot of people between you and him, he will wait for a chance to actually move nearer you;

For some frotteur, they will stay behind you;

Many gropers I encountered, have backpacks or bags placed in front of them where their hands are placed below it or is like hugging it. This is their stance for easier contact; and

Some gropers tend to look down to check if their hand is placed at the correct spot.

What To Do

So what will you do in such cases? There are two options for you to choose: either you let them do it or you don't. If you don't, then here's what I can suggest:

Always bring a bag or something to cover your front when inside the train;

When you don't have anything to cover, use your own hands to cover or protect your breasts or crotch;

When gropers start to fondle you (well there are some who are persistent), you may use your hand to cover your crotch or to take his hand away from your body. When you do this, make sure you also look at him in the eye for this will make him feel awkward and tell him that you know he is doing it;

Try to transfer to another place far from the person if given the chance, don't let him control the situation;

You may also go to MRT's stationed guards and report the incident & identify the person; and

If you have watched Kung Fu Panda 1 you might want to master Po's learned Kung Fu technique known as the Wuxi Finger Hold. And see what happens next.

Now remember that you can defend yourself from these people if you want to. Only when you become passive and tolerating can these guys continue their plans on you. If you are really offended and molested you may always proceed to the guards of MRT administration and complain the person who did it. This is a form of sexual molestation and are grounds for legal action.