Sexual harassment refers to offensive and unwelcome verbal, written, or physical actions of a sexual nature that create a frightening, hostile, or insulting atmosphere. The key feature of such behaviour is that it is unwanted by the person experiencing it.
Many public transport passengers, especially women and girls, face sexual harassment daily. Examples of harassment include unwanted touching, persistent staring, or inappropriate comments. These are common experiences for women travelling to and from work, school, and other places.
What should I do if I am being harassed?
If you experience sexual harassment:
- Avoid engaging in an argument with the aggressor.
- First and foremost, step away and calmly but clearly tell the person that their behaviour, communication, or actions are unacceptable and unpleasant.
- Move to another spot or sit/stand somewhere else, ideally near people you trust, and tell them about the situation. Often, just being noticed by others is enough to make the aggressor stop.
- Try to remember as many details about the incident as possible.
- After the incident or during it, report it to the organisers of public transport or the police, if necessary. Provide as many details as you can.
- Later, share this information on relevant social media groups. This can encourage other passengers to stay alert.
How to protect yourself from harassment on public transport?
When sharing safety tips for public transport, women often highlight two key points worth considering:
- They advise choosing seats near the doors or the driver so that, in case of an unwanted situation, you can quickly leave the vehicle or report the issue to the driver nearby.
- Women also emphasise the importance of staying alert and aware of your surroundings, especially when travelling at night when there are fewer passengers. It is recommended not to listen to music on headphones, watch videos, or get distracted by your phone.
What can I do if I see someone being harassed?
If you notice a situation where a public transport passenger might be experiencing harassment, assess whether you feel safe and are prepared to intervene. You can approach the person being harassed and pretend to be an old friend, hand them an item they “forgot,” or otherwise disrupt the situation. Often, just drawing attention to the situation and supporting the victim can be enough to make the harasser stop.
If you feel unsafe or are frightened by the situation, evaluate whether immediate assistance is needed (e.g., calling the police) or if the situation can be addressed by the driver or another passenger. For example, you can create a small distraction in the vehicle – move to a different door, drop something on the floor, or lightly bump into other passengers near the harasser and the victim. This could help the person being harassed move to another spot or sit next to someone else. You can also report the situation to the driver, or inform another passenger whom you think would not remain indifferent.
What changes when we pay attention?
A study conducted in France in 2016 showed that in 9 out of 10 cases of sexual harassment, witnesses did not react in any way. These findings sparked a large public information campaign about the problem of sexual harassment on public transport. Information was posted on public transport on how to recognise and notice harassment, and how to act in such situations. The campaign also aimed to encourage public transport users to report incidents of harassment they experienced or witnessed.
Data on where passengers have noticed or encountered sexual harassment helps to reveal the scale and spread of the issue. By analysing specific locations where harassment occurs, those responsible for organising public transport can adjust routes, local authorities can improve lighting, install additional bus stops or relocate existing ones, and people themselves, knowing they are travelling on routes where harassment is more common, can be more vigilant. Police patrols can also be deployed along these routes.
The role of municipalities is very important
A pilot qualitative study conducted in 2023 about how the needs of different genders are considered in urban planning in Lithuanian cities revealed that there is still a lack of knowledge and data in this area, but there are also some good examples. One such example is the sensory walls installed for children at bus stops in Panevėžys. This decision was made after noticing that mothers with children often use public transport. The Vilnius City Municipality organised walks with women in Vingis Park to better identify poorly lit areas where participants did not feel safe. Although these examples are not directly related to sexual harassment on public transport, they demonstrate that the role of municipalities and their ability to address gender-sensitive issues is crucial.
To combat sexual harassment on public transport, the role of service providers is also very important. In early 2024, Vilnius Public Transport launched the Prevention of Harassment and Violence on Public Transport programme. The aim of the programme is to raise awareness among passengers about harassment and violence on public transport, help them recognise such situations, and respond appropriately.
