LA Metro starts counseling line to combat sexual harassment

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aiming to combat sexual harassment on public transportation, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority unveiled an around-the-clock counseling hotline Wednesday to provide support to riders who experience unwanted sexual advances.

Riding the bus to work is not an invitation; waiting for the bus at a bus shelter is not an invitation; a crowded subway car is not an excuse, said Patti Giggans, the executive director of Peace Over Violence, the nonprofit group that will staff the confidential counseling hotline.

The agency has received 156 reports of sexual harassment, sexual assault and indecent exposure since March 2015, though it was unclear how many incidents were investigated by law enforcement, Metro spokesman Dave Sotero said.