The Subway Ride from Hell

I had always heard about the stories in Japan. Poor Japanese girls were surrounded and groped on a busy subway train. Was it fact or fiction?

My name is Amber. I was an exchange student in Tokyo in the summer of 2009. I was attending a college there on a soccer scholarship. My billets told me the stories about the subway gang groping were fake and not to worry.

I had ridden the subway several times and never had a problem. Tonight was a little different. It was about midnight and probably too late for a blond little foreigner to be out by herself.

I caught the train for a my billets residence. It was going to be a 1 hour ride. Tokyo was a huge city and spread out.

I thought the subway appeared packed for such a late time of night. There were only men on my car, about 40 of them. I could smell stale alcohol and even saw some sitting and drinking.

I was a little uncomfortable when I caught a few looking at me on several occasions.

I settled in for the ride standing and holding a car as all the seats were occupied. I put on my ipod and cranked the music.

About five minutes into the ride I was getting squished by a group of about 15 men. I tried to push my way out but was surrounded. Someone behind me took my headphones off and whispered in English into my ear.