WOMEN IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT
3. Ending violence and harassment against women Violence and harassment against women is a widespread problem in public transport which contributes to gender-based occupational segregation in the sector, which is in turn a risk factor for gender-based violence. This section presents practical strategies that unions can use to address violence and harassment in public transport. 3.1 VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT AGAINST WOMEN IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT ILO Convention 190 on eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work (adopted in 2019) defines violence and harassment as ‘a range of unacceptable behaviours and practices, or threats thereof, whether a single occurrence or repeated, that aim at, result in, or are likely to result in physical, psychological, sexual or economic harm, and includes gender-based violence and harassment’. Violence and harassment is endemic in the global transport industry and is experienced by both women and men. But women are affected disproportionately because violence and harassment is an abuse of power and is exacerbated by inequality. Women’s unequal position in society and in the labour market, as well as gender stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes, increase women’s exposure to violence and harassment. Intersecting forms of discrimination (such as sexism and homophobia) create a greater risk of violence and harassment. Despite being the majority of passengers, women’s access to public services is unequal. This means that women’s concerns and safety needs are ignored in the design of transport services so they are more exposed to violence and harassment when using public transport.
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6 out of 10 women in Latin American cities report physical harassment on public transit systems.72
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In France, transit and train stations account for 39 percent of sexual assaults against women.73
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In Egypt, 99.3 percent of women report having experienced sexual harassment. Women are most at risk on streets and when using public transport.74
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In Mumbai, India, 80 percent of women have faced sexual harassment on public transport.75
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In London, twice as many women as men said they do not feel safe using public transport.76
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In Sri Lanka, 90 percent of women have experienced sexual harassment while taking public transport.77
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In Nepal, 97 percent of young female students have faced sexual harassment while using public transport.78
Violence and harassment in the public transport sector continues to be a daily reality for women workers, regularly seen as part of the job.
Verbal aggression is a weekly occurrence; unfortunately, you get used to it. It really happens a great deal. I have become hard. Ten years ago, it affected me deeply in my soul. Now I laugh about it. I try to commiserate with aggressive people. An established customer found it necessary to target me for two years and regularly called me names. It is very tiresome. When he began talking about me with my co-workers, I finally lodged a complaint with my line manager.” Road transport worker, Belgium79 A survey by the ETF found that 63 percent of transport workers had experienced at least one recent act of violence. And 25 percent believed violence against women to be a regular occurrence in the transport sector.80 37
