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She saw a man harassing a teen on a plane. The action she took is why her tweet thread went viral.

She saw a man harassing a teen on a plane. The action she took is why her tweet thread went viral.

Women of all ages are at risk for being on the receiving end of unwanted advances from men.

While adult women often learn to build up a defensive armor, for younger women and girls, it's harder to know what to do. And that can make the situation all the more terrifying.

Even now that I’m in my 20’s, being hit on by older men still causes me anxiety-especially when cornered. In those terrifying moments, I wish more than anything that someone was there to help.


Thankfully, when a teenager on a late-night flight found herself next to an inappropriate stranger, journalist and editor Joanna Chiu had her back.

Chiu was headed to Vancouver and hoping for a restful trip when she noticed a middle-aged man being suspiciously friendly with a teenager girl.

Ever the journalist, she decided to tweet the situation so there'd be a clear record of what transpired.

“Thread about airplane creeps: I’m on a plane from a late-evening stopover from and was very tired and had a row to myself to sleep but couldn’t avoid noticing what was going on in the row behind me,” Chiu began in a tweet thread.

Initially, the conversation between the man and girl was sadly typical — the teen was friendly, and the man took that as an invitation to hit on her.

When he offered the teen his phone number – she ignored him — and then asked her for a dirty photo, Chiu leapt into action.

“As soon as he asked for a “dirty” photo while leaning close to her I turned around and rage-whispered exactly what I thought of that and he didn’t say anything back and went off to use the washroom,’ she wrote during the story’s retelling.

Chiu was NOT willing to sit by and let this teen be harassed.

Harassment is all too familiar to women — perhaps that makes us hyper-aware of the early stages.

Within her thread, Chiu retold some of her first experiences with harassment in her youth — something nearly all women can relate to — including a time she was kissed without her consent.

While harassment is not bound to the limitations of gender, women are substantially more likely to be on the receiving end.

In 2018, an online study produced through a nonprofit called Stop Street Harassment explored sexual harassment and assault, and discovered that 81% of women and 41% of men reported being harassed in some capacity during their lifetime.

The types of harassment reported included the frequencies of things like verbal harassment, unwanted touches, genital flashing, and eventually sexual assault.

It’s heartbreaking to consider how often young girls and women are harassed with no one there to help.

But Chiu was this time, and she wasn't going to sit idly by and let it happen. She alerted the flight attendants who acted quickly, cross-checked accounts, and despite resistance — and aggression — the stranger eventually got up and moved.  

The team of women who witnessed the incident spoke up and made sure the girl was comfortable.

Still, Chui couldn’t help but notice that no men were involved in the de-escalation of the situation.

Many falsely believe harassment is a "women’s issue."

That said, more men today are starting to step up and help prevent sexual assault. Organizations like A CALL TO MEN are challenging traditional ideas of manhood and reminding men their role in harassment prevention for all.

Later in the thread, Chiu pointed out the importance of men doing their part to combat harassment whenever it arises.

“All adults need to be on guard and know there are things we can do to intervene even when a crime hadn’t technically been committed yet. Men need to figure out how to “spot creeps” in their vicinity as well and men can help too to prevent harassment or assault,” she wrote.

But Chiu did just fine taking this particular harasser to task without the help of men. Ah, the power of the internet.

Since then, the viral thread has become a resource where Chui hopes men and women alike can find guidance on what to do when the overhear or witness sexual harassment and abuse in public.

Modern-day movements like #MeToo, and the growing trend of publicly calling out offenders has become a tool of empowerment for women who've experience and witnessed these situations first-hand.

Obviously, it's not just up to women to end sexual harassment and assault. But they're doing a damn good job of challenging harassers and making it clear the days of silent passive victimhood are over.  

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

True

A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
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