Metro Harassment: Where's a real man when you need one?

On my way to work I listened to a story about the growing problem of sexual harassment on metro and subway systems.

The D.C. Metro recently launched a campaign "to let people know that it’s not okay to sexually harass people on the Metro.” They now have a website dedicated to receiving reports and volunteers are passing out bracelets and flyers to raise public awareness.

Really?

Let’s be honest. The “people” who are getting harassed are women. By men.

Although women are strong enough to deal with the issue on their own, as demonstrated by the actions of one woman who “shoved the [offender] out of his seat,” my question is this:

Why did all the witnesses react with “shock” and “not know how to address it”?

Men, your role is to Protect women, whether they are your wife, daughter, mother, or complete strangers.

In today’s violent society, I’m not suggesting a physical confrontation is necessary — although tossing the pervert off the moving train would have been completely appropriate. But any man could have stood up, apologized to the woman, and offered her his seat, then taken his new seat — next to the offender!

And imagine what the response of the female passengers would have been if men had escorted the harassed women off the train at her stop while offering to help in any way they could.

It makes me sad to think that women would hesitate to turn to male passengers for help — even though they should not have to ask in the first place.

Men, it’s time to learn Sigma behavior and reclaim your role as Protectors.

Readers, what do you think?