aegipan-omnicorn:

manic-pixie-dream-nb:

uncommonbish:

Please don’t touch anyone without their consent. Use your words and if the person says they don’t need help, don’t take offence, carry on with your day. Also note this thread shows that often grabbers get aggressive when asked not to touch a disabled person.

[Images: screenshots of a twitter thread by Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondeHistorian read

“I’m visually impaired and use a white cane. I was sat on the tube putting my backpack on. Suddenly a man grabbed my bag and shoulder. He then verbally abused me for 5 mins because he wanted to “help me”.

Me: what are you doing?! Get off.

Him: I’m helping you!

Me: don’t touch me.

Him: I saw your stick I’m helping you with your bag.

Me: I thought you were stealing it! How was I to know!

Him: this train is packed with 100 people I wanted to help you!

Me: why didn’t you ask!

Him: I was just going to help you! (His tone got increasingly aggressive by this point)

Me: then [in all caps] ask me if I need help!

Him: this train is packed! I was going to help you.

Me: I do this every day. Don’t touch people or their belongings without asking!

He started muttering.

At this point a nice woman asked if I was OK. I just said how this kind of thing happens everyday and I wish people would use their f-ing words before their hands.

She offered to help clear a way for me but then I realised we weren’t at my stop. So I just waited by the door. At which point the man pushed me as he got off and muttered something which sounded like “ungrateful bitch”.

I got off at my stop, made it to the ticket hall and had a tearful panic attack on a bench. The TfL staff were lovely as ever, got me water and tissues, listenes to me.

Other half rushed over in the car to get me. In fact he hurried out of the house so quickly he actually split his trousers right down the back [laughing with tears emoji]!

This is why I rarely ever respond when strangers touch me. I take the violation of my consent and boundaries, because if I dare object I get an aggressive lecture on how ungrateful I am.

Today I had just reached a limited and needed to stand up for myself and my body. Tonight I will use my self care and therapy techniques to prevent my PTSD spiralling out of control.

But tomorrow I have to get on the tube again and put up with the next stranger touching me.

Please share this thread so people can learn to #JustAskDon'tGrab disabled people. I’ve been campaigning about this issue for 2 years and trying to educate the public about asking for consent before touching disabled people. “

After the tweets is a photo of Dr Kavanagh walking down the street with her cane. It is part of the article titled “woman’s hour - at least twice a month men use the offer of help to grope me”.

End description.]

Reblogging for the story, and because it’s been transcribed.