Samantha Ko Terrified by Old Man Pressing Against Her on Train #MeToo
Samantha Ko (高海寧) appeared at a Lan Kwai Fong nightclub for a champagne endorsement today. Due to her strict upbringing, Samantha rarely frequents nightclubs. Since she is often required to wear revealing clothes as an artiste, Samantha was asked if she has received any unpleasant physical approaches from men. Samantha said, “Not after I became an artiste, but I encountered an old pervert before entering the entertainment industry.”
Due to the #MeToo movement, female artistes have become increasingly open about their sexual harassment experiences to increase public awareness. Similar to Louisa Mak (麥明詩) and Sharon Chan‘s (陳敏之) experiences, Samantha was also sexually harassed as a teenager.
“It happened in my third year of high school. I lived in Mongkok and had to take the train to my school in Causeway Bay. Since the students and adults’ commute schedules were at the same time, the train was always packed from the Yau Ma Tei to the Admiralty stops. One day, an old man was behind me and pressed against my back. I could feel that there was something hard pressing against me. I turned away trying to avoid him. He followed and continued to press against me. I was terrified but couldn’t find my voice.
“Since the train was very crowded, my friends and I stood in different spots in the train car. I couldn’t ask them for help. When the train got to Admiralty, I couldn’t stand it anymore and rain out of the train. My friends ran up to me and asked what happened. I discovered that the back of my skirt was wet. I ended up missing school that day, as I had to go home and change my clothes.”
An easy victim of sexual harassment because of her young age at the time, Samantha knows how to handle such situations much better as an adult woman. She will not hesitate to cry out and ask others for help.
Crowded public transportation has often been a place for men to take advantage of women. Samantha said, “One time, I noticed a man using his cell phone to take secret upskirt photos of a female student. The girl was squatting and the man aimed the phone camera between her legs, while pretending to play with his phone. I quickly screamed, ‘Wah! What are you filming?’ When the other women saw I said something, they scolded the man too and warned the female student to be careful.”
Source: HK01.com
This article is written by Jayne for JayneStars.com.
Well if she’s afraid of sex harassment then don’t wear so sexy otherwise of course guys will kept an eyes on your body especially boobs or butts part.
@cutie777 This incident happened when Samantha was only a high school student. Doubt her outfit was anymore revealing than other girls at the time. A woman’s attire should not be the reason for blame in a sexual harassment situation. The offender is the man who takes advantage of a crowded train or other easy access situation to get a grope or look.
It is the man’s lack of control and his lust that are the problems. He has a choice to look away.
Predators always choose easy victims. Schoolgirls are often a target because they are young and too scared to speak up.
When I was 4 years old, I was waiting on the street with my 12 year old sister for our mom to get off work. It was broad daylight with other pedestrians. A Chinese man in his 20s walked up to us and asked for directions. Since I was so short, I saw his zipper fly was undone. Something strange was poking out. My sister and I were too young to understand, but we felt something was not right and went inside my mom’s work place. Only years later did I realize the man was an exhibitionist and that he had an erection at the time. His zipper was undone intentionally and it was obscene.
I also had two other uncomfortable situations from strangers in high school. I was alone by myself and too young and scared to cry for help.
I live in New York City area and crowded trains are the norm. In the winter, the layers help protect me from feeling uncomfortable being too close to a stranger. In the summer with the thinner clothes, it’s always awkward. Have to hold my purse and angle my elbow a certain way so that no one can stand uncomfortably close. If there is a choice, I always stand next to a woman and not a man.
@jayne poor thing so sorry to hear that. I don’t know but this day so many strange people around always have to be extra careful.
@cutie777 @bubbletea like Samantha and other victims of harassment, I’ve often felt guilty for being taken advantage of and not calling out the men at the time. There are predators out there who know which victims are the most gullible and repeat offenses are the most damaging.
@cutie777 This incident happened when Samantha was only a high school student. Doubt her outfit was anymore revealing than other girls at the time. A woman’s attire should not be the reason for blame in a sexual harassment situation. The offender is the man who takes advantage of a crowded train or other easy access situation to get a grope or look.
It is the man’s lack of control and his lust that are the problems. He has a choice to look away.
Predators always choose easy victims. Schoolgirls are often a target because they are young and too scared to speak up.
When I was 4 years old, I was waiting on the street with my 12 year old sister for our mom to get off work. It was broad daylight with other pedestrians. A Chinese man in his 20s walked up to us and asked for directions. Since I was so short, I saw his zipper fly was undone. Something strange was poking out. My sister and I were too young to understand, but we felt something was not right and went inside my mom’s work place. Only years later did I realize the man was an exhibitionist and that he had an erection at the time. His zipper was undone intentionally and it was obscene.
I also had two other uncomfortable situations from strangers in high school. I was alone by myself and too young and scared to cry for help.
I live in New York City area and crowded trains are the norm. In the winter, the layers help protect me from feeling uncomfortable being too close to a stranger. In the summer with the thinner clothes, it’s always awkward. Have to hold my purse and angle my elbow a certain way so that no one can stand uncomfortably close. If there is a choice, I always stand next to a woman and not a man.
I completely understand Samantha’s fear and disgust. We can’t go back in time to the time when we scared little girls, but we learn to protect ourselves and our daughters better one day.
@jayne thank goodness you and your sister were not harmed. That could have been worse. All your situations could have been disastrous. I cringe when I read what happened to Samantha Ko, especially the part when she said she discovered her clothes were wet. What a dirty pig for taking advantage of an innocent young girl on the train. Men like that should be given a special injection in the privates. I can give him one to keep it quiet for the rest of his miserable life. It would just be good for urinating.
@bubbletea wait I’m confused about her skirt are being wet? How? Did that man spill drink on her skirt or was she sweating? She doesn’t explain how it got wet isn’t it?
@cutie777
I think Samantha has already been as clear as she possibly be about this…
@cutie777 that’s an unfair statement to make. Just because she reveals a bit of cleavage for work, it is not an invitation for perverts to touch or even leer at her. Don’t blame the victim.
@cutie777 Don’t be an apologist for perverted freaks thanks.
There are also cases where women get sexually harassed even though they don’t wear revealing attire.
@cutie777 Looking once may be a reflex, but leering and rubbing are a different matter.
Samantha Ko has always come across as an attention seeker, someone who is the 博出位 (bok chuk wai) type, who will do whatever it takes.
The Me Too movement is great – it’s given courage, taken momentum and dragging out all the dirty linen in Korea’s patriachal system.
However the downside with the Me Too movement is that it WILL also draw out all the drama queens who will bask in whatever limelight, to get their 3 min of attention whoring.
And in Samantha Ko’s case – imo, it’s the latter.