> Twitter did not respond to our request for comment. Instead, they sent us a poo emoji, which has been an automatic reply to any inquiry directed to their press email since March.
It's so strange to me that a culture would encourage people to remain silent during something like this. I can't imagine having a stranger put their hands down my pants on a crowded subway and not turning around and slugging them in the face.
Having been groped on a crowded train, it can be extremely difficult to identify whose hand is responsible. Sure, if they put their hands down your pants, you have a chance to capture their wrist. But if you aren't in physical contact with the person, it's just a sea of anonymous faces when you turn around to confront your assailant.
I can imagine not reacting to groping with an immediate physical response on public transit, as you're liable to get stabbed instead of squeezed if you go and attempt to slug your groper. If you freeze or leave and then report the crime directly afterwards, there are cameras and cops everywhere on public transit, so the chance of the groper getting caught while leaving is incredibly high. Such a strategy, while not manly, is likely to result in you staying safe and a groper being imprisoned.
Regarding a culture encouraging people to remain silent during something like this, hard for me to think of a culture that DOESN'T encourage somebody to remain silent about being sexually assaulted, although Japan does seem to have a unique problem here.
> Twitter did not respond to our request for comment. Instead, they sent us a poo emoji, which has been an automatic reply to any inquiry directed to their press email since March.