In 2008, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) launched the first-ever PSA campaign in the nation to address sexual harassment on public transportation. It released a second wave of ads in 2009. Overall, they reported a decrease in crimes.
At the insistence of activists and riders in New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., the transit systems in those cities followed suit and launched PSA campaigns, too.
Today, MBTA launched five really amazing new ads, in partnership with local groups like the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. One thousand of them are found across the system.
“In one of the five posters, a man in a T-shirt crosses his arms over his chest, next to the admonishment, “No means no.” The three other signs feature women, posed next to phrases such as, “Keep your hands off me,” “Respect my space,” and “Keep your privates private.”
The posters also instruct passengers on how to respond to sexual assault crimes on the T: Use a cellphone to capture a photo of the perpetrator. Report the case on the T’s See Something, Say Something smartphone app. Alert a T employee.”
The inclusive nature of the ads is really ground-breaking and important.
“Jessica Newman, counselor and advocate at the Violence Recovery Program at Fenway Health, explained that misperceptions that women are the only victims of inappropriate touching on trains and buses can lead men to be more uncomfortable reporting the crime.
“Generally there is a widespread societal myth that men don’t experience sexual violence,” Newman said.
Additionally, Newman said, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people may be more wary of reporting sexual harassment to Transit Police because they worry it will be taken less seriously because of their sexual orientation.
“Historically and currently, there has been a barrier for LGBT folks to report crimes that have occurred to them,” Newman said.”
I’m so excited to see this campaign! I hope other cities will take notice and consider launching one, too.
(Thanks to Caroline Lukas, Media Relations Manager at Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for the news tip and for working to see Washington, D.C. have a great ad like this for the second part of their ad campaign.)
