Representatives from the City Council met with the N.Y.P.D. and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in order to address the issue of sexual harassment and assault, which James P. Hall, chief of the Police Department's Transit Bureau, describes as the "No. 1 quality of life offense on the subway." Hall reports that as of November 15th, there had already been 587 reports of sex offenses on the subway, but he believes this number does not accurately reflect the disturbingly commonplace nature of this type of public harassment. "we strongly suspect this is a highly under-reported crime," he said.

Earlier this year, Sadie delved deep into the complicated issue of Someone Masturbating Against Me In A Crowded Subway (or, to make things more simple, SMAMIACA). Judging from her experience, the hundreds of comments, and my own uncomfortable trolley ride a couple of weeks ago, I'm going to go ahead and agree with Hall: This happens way more often than police reports reflect. But the NYPD is trying to do something about it: Hall describes a campaign that has been in place since 2006, aptly titled Operation Exposure, in which cops go undercover to bust subway creepers. They've also developed a protocol for receiving cell phone pictures from victims, which sounds like it could be a very effective way of catching the men (because it is usually men) who do this.

Police also seem to have a pretty good idea of the kind of guy they're looking for, the City Room reports:

The police have arrested 412 people for sex offenses in the subway so far this year. Of the 412, 71 had committed prior sexual offenses and 14 were registered sex offenders. Five of the 14 were the most serious level of sex offender, Level 3.

The average perpetrator is a 39-year-old male, while the vast majority of victims are females over 17 years old. "It's a crime that goes more to a middle-aged individual," Chief Hall said. In contrast, other crimes in the subway generally involve younger men, from 17 to 25 years old, he said.

The fact that 17% of the men arrested for subway harassment were already known sex offenders is downright scary. And given the many, many cases that are never reported, much less result in arrest, the real number is no doubt much higher.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has decided to focus on PSAs that encourage women to speak up about inappropriate behavior on the subway. Unfortunately, they only run the poster campaigns for a few months at a time. And, as Sadie noted, one of the biggest problems with subway harassment is the ambiguity of the thing. It is difficult to muster up the courage to report something when you're not even sure if it really happened, which is why I'm standing in support of Councilman Peter F. Vallone's idea: posting a "wall of shame" for convicted offenders. Although it's by no means a perfect solution (and, it should be added, not one that authorities have decided to adopt) the emphasis is finally on the right person: the perpetrator. Because the question shouldn't just be how do we get more victims to report it but how can we get men to stop?

Sexual Harassment Is 'No. 1 Quality Of Life Offense On Subway,' Police Say [NYT City Room]

Earlier: When You're Not Sure If Someone Is Masturbating Against You In A Crowded Subway

Although Indian women are working an increasing number of jobs formerly forbidden to them, the ride to work remains a minefield of sorts. Men have been known to pinch and grope women on trains, shout insults or catcalls, or even just stare lecherously. According to New York Times reporter Jim Yardley, this practice is known as "eve teasing," which seems like a rather benign name for something so threatening. Yardley discusses the possible link between the social change that has lead to a greater freedom for many women and the violent backlash, characterized by a steep rise of violence against women. He writes:

Between 2003 and 2007, rape cases rose by more than 30 percent, kidnapping or abduction cases rose by more than 50 percent, while torture and molestation also jumped sharply.

Mala Bhandari, who runs an organization focused on women and children, said the influx of women into the workplace had eroded the traditional separation between public space (the workplace) and private space (the home). "Now that women have started occupying public spaces, issues will always arise," she said. "And the first issue is security."

The "Ladies Special" trains are an attempt to provide this kind of security for women. Not only do they supply a space where women can sit free of harassment, they are also generally cleaner and more comfortable than the mixed-gender trains. (The Times also has a slideshow of gorgeous images.) "It's so nice here," said a teacher and frequent rider of the "Ladies Special." "Here on this train, you can board anywhere and sit freely." But some men feel the need to protest the trains, and have been known to spray-paint the cars and dirty the bathrooms.

While sequestering women off into their own separate cars seems in many ways like a step backwards, there are times when I've wished we had female-only subway cars in the U.S. Earlier this year, Sadie shared her experiences with harassment on public transportation, and commenters quickly chimed in with stories of their own. It seems like almost every woman living in a city, and many who just visit, has a horror story about the creeps that grope, harass, molest, or otherwise frighten them. But as Dr. Ranjari Kumari, director for India's Center for Social Research, points out, separate trains can't be a long term solution. "You really need to make every train as safe as the Ladies Specials," he said.

Indian Women Find New Peace In Rain Commute [New York Times]
Indian Women Escape Harrassment on the Train [New York Times]

Related: When You're Not Sure If Someone Is Masturbating Against You In A Crowded Subway

• Oy (Oi?): An Australian tabloid is claiming that Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson are "in turmoil" because Kristen is pregnant with the sparkle vamp's spawn.

The story is illustrated with a ridiculous "bump watch" close-up of Kristen's rather flat tummy trying to breathe in some super tight leather pants. Oh, hey: While we're on the subject, remember this? [ONTD]

• Will Breaking Dawn, the fourth Twilight film, have a different director? Says New Moon's Ashley Greene: "[Eclipse director] David [Slade] and [New Moon director] Chris [Weitz] will both be busy in postproduction, and Catherine [Hardwicke] will be doing Hamlet." [E!]
• Meanwhile, Robert Pattinson is sick of shooting his film in New York and dying to get back home. A source says he is "so over everything" and overwhelmed by fans: "He's embarrassed by the way girls throw themselves at him. The girls here are stalking him. He stayed in two different hotels over the course of four days just to try to escape the fans who were following him. He's afraid that if he gives a hand, they'll take the whole arm. He's being advised by security not to encourage the crowd, so he doesn't even look up anymore." [Gatecrasher]
• You know that Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning will make out in The Runaways, right? [NY Daily News]
• A tiny, "economically depressed" Indian reservation in Washington state — home of the Quileute Nation — has become inundated with Twilight fans. The tribe opened its Wednesday night drum circle to all visitors, but has "mixed feelings" about the attention. [NY Post]
• Did Chris Brown and Amber Rose hook up at Diddy's white party on July 4? "They were holding hands and making out in the shadows," a witness claims. Kanye West was "devastated" when Chris Brown harmed Rihanna, whom Kanye thinks of as a sister. What will he think of his on/off ladyfriend making out with Chris Brown? WILL HE WRITE A RANT?!?! [NY Daily News]
• Weeks after allegedly trashing a hotel room in L.A., Courtney Love is being accused of leaving a NYC hotel room "littered with needles and used feminine hygiene products." [The Sun]
• Daniel Radcliffe says the idea of him dating Emma Watson is "really incestuous," but admits this of his Harry Potter costars: "There was a period when we were the only boys and girls any of us knew. And so, you know, we were all unbelievably horny from about the third film to probably about the end of the fifth; then it all settled down." Hmm. Sounds like someone was fantasizing about someone! [Mirror]
• Though details are sketchy, it looks like Jennifer Hudson, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys and Aretha Franklin will be attending and performing at the Michael Jackson memorial. [MSNBC Scoop]
• 1.6 million people wanted tickets for Michael Jackson's memorial, but only 11,000 tickets are available. A producer says: "It will be a celebration of Michael's life (but) we're not approaching it as a TV show… In the future, there may be a tribute to Michael Jackson. This is really a memorial service. It's not going to have all the bells and whistles. We want to keep it low-key." [AFP]
• "I want to stress to those people who are coming, or are thinking about coming, to the city for this special event that you might want to consider watching this from the comfort of your home," says Councilwoman Jan Perry, L.A.'s acting mayor (Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is out of the country). [CNN]
• There are already Michael Jackson memorial tickets on eBay. [CBS News]
• Lawyers will be in court today, arguing over who will control Michael Jackson's estate. [TMZ]
• The doctor who was with Michael Jackson the day he died clams he did not administer Demerol or OxyContin to Jackson that day. What about Propofol? No comment on that. [TMZ]
• Fans have created a shrine to Michael Jackson in Moscow, Russia. [CNN]
• A 1984 Andy Warhol portrait of Michael Jackson is up for auction, if you have like $10 million. [NY Daily News]
• This piece by Michael Jackson biographer Ian Halperin alleges that Michael was a drug addict who had recorded 200 "secret" songs before he died, had been depressed for a long time and had recently begun a relationship with a male artist, but was afraid of being revealed as gay. [Daily Mail]
• This paper is running video of Michael Jackson defending himself about child abuse allegations. He looks incredulous and annoyed. [News Of The World]
• According to this report, Michael Jackson may be buried in concrete to prevent fans from digging up his grave. [UPI]
• Will Michael Jackson be cremated, and his ashes scattered at Neverland? [NY Post]
• The bodyguard who called 911 to save Michael Jackson's life is named Alberto Alvarez, and he was apparently so loyal he didn't tell his neighbors whom he worked for. "He would disappear for days at a time. I guessed he was in security because of his size," one neighbor says. [Mirror]
• Paul McCartney is "devastated" that he doesn't have rights to Beatles songs he wrote with John Lennon, which may be part of Michael Jackson's estate. [Daily Express]
• In an interview with Silvio Berlusconi, Bob Geldof forced the Italian Prime Minister to apologize for failing to meet commitments to fighting poverty. "How can you lead the G8? Where is your credibility?" Geldof asked. [Times of London]
• Look for Michael Phelps to appear with that guy Jared in new Subway sandwich commercials starting today. The theme? "Be yourself." [AdWeek]
• Jon and Kate Gosselin spent the 4th of July together (with the kids). they had agreed weeks ago to set aside their differences for the holiday. [People]
• Alanis Morissette's guest stint on Weeds begins tonight. The singer says: "Weeds was my solace and respite in the back of the bus on tour. I was in the middle of detoxing at the time, and it was my replacement addiction for food." [USA Today]
• Gerard Butler partied in Montauk, NY over the weekend, at a "model-strewn" bash thrown by photographer Ben Watts (brother of Naomi). Did Gerard have fun? "He was there with about a million girls," a source says. [Page Six]
• Free your mind! En Vogue marked their 20th anniversary with a reunion show at the Essence Music Festival. [AP]
• Lock, stock and two smoking barrels of turnips: Guy Ritchie is trying to make his country estate, Ashcombe House, more eco-friendly and self-sufficient by adding greenhouses and vegetable gardens. [Mirror]
• Josh Duhamel and Fergie got a stripper pole as a wedding gift, but Josh says: "I've played on the pole more than she has." Pardon? "If you know my wife, she's a perfectionist and won't get on it until she's good, so she wants to take a class first. So the pole is really just decorative at this point." [Page Six]
• "German director Wim Wenders has stopped production on the planned 3D dance film Pina following the death of the film's subject — the legendary choreographer Pina Bausch." [Reuters]
• Blind items! "Which self-important, philandering writer who was dumped recently by his long-suffering wife is complaining that his jerky behavior is no longer covered on Page Six, moaning, 'You start getting used to it. And then you pick up the paper and you're not there and you think, 'Well, what am I, chopped liver?'" "Which unnaturally thin celebrity chef credits her bony frame to good eating habits, but really is addicted to laxatives?" [Page Six]
• Blind item! "Which actor may have transformed himself from the drinker he once was, but still travels with his sponsor to avoid a slipup?" [Gatecrasher]
• "Q: What did you think about the Letterman/Palin controversy? (He made a truly tasteless joke about a baseball player and her 14-year-old daughter.)
  A: I thought the joke was hilarious and not only brought her back into the spotlight but gave her sympathy.
  Q: So, Letterman shouldn't have said it.
  A: Of course he should have said it! Oh, for God's sakes. We're comedians. Americans are so ridiculously uptight. Enough!" — Joan Rivers. [Houston Chronicle]
• "I look at Chris Martin who says he has never taken drugs in his life and I think he is an idiot. Doing drugs is the most beautiful thing about being in a rockband. Up until 1998 I must have spent £1 million on drugs then I stopped because it is bad for your health, brain, life and for people around you." — Noel Gallagher. [Daily Mail]
• "I was sort of smarting from Russell Crowe coming over here and playing Robin Hood and all these foreigners coming over here and stealing our great heroes - I felt I was striking a blow back by being a Brit playing a foreigner. I'd love to play Robin Hood but I'd particularly like to play all those parts Johnny Depp plays that are English people like The Earl of Rochester." — Dominic West. [Mirror]
• "It is bizarre, certainly in Hollywood, when you hit 23 [and] people start to ask you, 'How does it feel to get older?' It is absolutely surreal because, as a woman, when you hit your 30s it's just the beginning of owning yourself and being in your own body." — Carla Gugino. [Page Six]
• "I've always loved Chanel's style, but I was more interested in her character than the fashion. Her life is so rich, and her personality so unusual, that the story of her life is far greater than simply being a story of fashion. And I wanted to discover what lay behind the façade…" — Audrey Tautou, who plays Coco Chanel in Coco Avant Chanel. [Telegraph]
• "I've always been an elusive person. Maybe because it's the only way to keep yourself sacred. If you blow yourself out on too many movies and magazine covers, you just get chewed up and spat out. Okay, you might get to know me, but you can only come so far. The public is conditioned to think it's entitled to know everything about Brad and Angelina and whoever else, but that's not so. They're not entitled." — Robin Wright Penn. [Times Of London]
• "It's obvious I'm not dressing for men. I don't want to be sexy, I'm, like, covered in tattoos. I have piercings. I'm just grungy and weird and not what is socially accepted as being beautiful, and I think that's cool. [My heroes were mostly big in the '90s.] The women who were championing things that were different. I loved Winona Ryder in her Beetlejuice and Heathers era, and even when I saw Angelina Jolie on the red carpet, like, years before the Hollywood makeover and everyone was so weirded out because she had long, weird nails and a long, weird dress on. And that's what I think is amazing. Anti-beauty. I don't want to dress for men, I think it's almost like a feminist thing." — Peaches Geldof. [Times of London]

It spurred a post today on the New York Times website about what activities are appropriate for what age groups. Times blogger Lisa Belkin polled her readers, and found that there was a pretty big range in what parents found acceptable:

Walk to the store to do some grocery shopping? Some parents said 7, others 17. Ride a bike to school? The range was from 7 through 16. Often answers from the same parent contradicted themselves. They would allow the walk to the store at 10, but the bike ride to school had to wait until 15. They would allow their son or daughter to baby-sit for a neighbor’s child at 13. But their own sibling? That would have to wait until 16.

This reminds me of a story my mother likes to tell. When I was in first grade, I desperately wanted to walk by my big girl self to the bus stop, which was down a long street from our house. My mother was reticent, but she figured, it's such a safe suburban neighborhood and other kids are all around — it should be fine. So on the day she let me walk by myself, I made it about half way down the street before I got scared, started crying, and ran back to the house, insisting that she walk with me.

The moral of the bus stop is that your kids will let you know when they're ready for something. Of course, if little Janey wants to ride a motorcycle at age 10, obviously you're not going to let 'er at it, within reason kids know their boundaries. Which seems to be the point of Skenazy's forthcoming book and accompanying website called Free Range Kids. “At Free Range Kids, we believe in safe kids. We believe in helmets, car seats and safety belts. We do NOT believe that every time school-age children go outside, they need a security detail," says the website's mission statement.

As with most parenting advice, it's not a one-size-fits-all scenario, and each kid is different. Which is why when you have them, you should listen to what they have to say.

[Image via NY Times]

A Child Alone On A Train [NY Times]

Related: Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride The Subway Alone [NY Sun]

A former Playboy model was arrested in Canada for attempting to rob an older woman and stabbing a man who tried to intervene. • The city of Manila offered free vasectomies on Friday for a special fair promoting family planning. • Chilean authorities have arrested a stripper who protested conservative Chilean society by doing pole dances in subway cars in the Santiago subway system. • Heenal Raichura, a 22-year-old British woman, has become Britain's youngest doctor. • Amanda Knox has been charged with killing her British roommate when they were living together as students in Italy last year. • Carlos Bustamante, a member of Santa Ana's City Council in California (and a rising star in the Republican party), has resigned from two commissions after he made breast comments regarding the first female Sheriff of Orange County. • The first female Japanese 4x400 relay team will appear in the Olympics this year. • Big cats, caught on tape.