Assault on T leaves victim scared to ride

Several days after the incident, Ms. Scott is still nervous about riding the T.

She said a man exposed himself to her and fondled himself on a Blue Line train Friday afternoon, and she saw the same man again looking at her on a Green Line train late the following night. When the man transferred to the same Blue Line train at Government Center, she contacted T officials and transit police arrested him for gross and open lewdness.

Yet the situation has left Ms. Scott (who asked that her first name be withheld) incredibly unnerved. In the following days, she admits to shaking while riding the T and having horrible dreams.  “I feel awkward riding the train,” she said.

Ms. Scott is far from alone. In April 2008, transit police launched an aggressive campaign targeting riders who commit sex crimes, which has yielded a significant rise in the number of reported crimes and subsequent arrests.

The T also partnered with the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, which provides counseling and other services to victims in these cases. Gina Scaramella, the center’s executive director, urged people to seek help if they’re struggling to cope.

“People have different reactions to all kinds of sexual assaults, and they deserve support,” Scaramella said.