to protect themselves from harassment in the metro, young women cover themselves

Whistles, inappropriate remarks, sexual assaults… 9 out of 10 women claim to have been bothered on public transport. “We can rarely walk without there being looks that sexualize our bodies”, thinks a young girl. In an attempt to escape it, a technique has been popularized by American women on social networks: the “subway shirt”, a “metro t-shirt” to conceal light clothing.

Film yourself to denounce harassment

Parisiennes have already adopted this reflex. But there is no question of resigning: for them, the problem does not come from the clothing, but from the stalker. Is the camouflage shirt a failure? “We are more in something of the order of a resistance. They film themselves before taking the metro to denounce”, explains Johanna Dagorn, researcher at the University of Bordeaux (Gironde), co-director of the notebooks of the fight against discrimination. Since last month, sexist contempt has been an offense punishable by a fine of 3,750 euros and a prison sentence.