Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Force the MTA to Release Harassment Crime Stats

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A few weeks ago, NY’s Metro ran an op-ed by Holla Back NYC co-founder Emily May about how the NYPD and MTA are failing to release crime stats on harassment and assault in the subway.

On Holla Back NYC, Emily reports that since her op-ed, she and New Yorkers for Safe Transit have successfully joined forces with Assemblymember Jim Brennan and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer to address the issue. Brennan will submit a bill to the State Assembly in the fall to force the MTA to release crime statistics. She writes,

“Stringer’s office is currently FOILing the MTA to see if they can get the data. Together, we will put an end to harassment on the subway!”

Congrats & keep it up, Emily, New Yorkers for Safe Transit and your legislative collaborators! I can’t wait to see what happpens this fall.

Related, last week, AMNY ran a follow up article to Emily’s op-ed, including the following about the low report rate of harassment crimes on NY’s public tranasportation system:

“Few victims report the crimes, according to the Stringer survey. Often, they don’t know whom to turn to, or can’t find an officer or MTA attendant. That problem could grow worse, as the MTA is eliminating its station agents through attrition starting in September….

Last year, the MTA launched an ad campaign encouraging victims to report unwanted touching to police or a MTA employee. Transit officials said they also covers about a third of its subway stations with cameras.

Some victims have started fighting back by catching offenders in the act with their camera phones, and last September the city began accepting digital photos of perpetrators through its 911 line.”

Have you taken a picture of a perpetrator and submitted it to the police? If so, what was your experience? Did they do anything?

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Man Gropes Woman Holding Baby in Philly

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Stories don’t get much more messed up than this one…

Yesterday morning, a young woman was riding the El train in Philadelphia, PA, and she was holding her infant on her lap. A man sat beside her, threatened her and groped her at knife point. No one else in the car realized what was happening. He got off at Eighth and Market Streets and the woman got off there too, to call the police.  Via the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Groper on the El Train in Philadelphia“The man was described as 30 to 40 years old, about 5-foot-3, and 150 to 160 pounds. He had slicked-back blond hair, wore a black shirt and pants, and his left ring finger was bandaged and in a splint, police said. Anyone with information was asked to contact the Special Victims Unit at 215-685-3251.”

What is wrong with people?!

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Weekly Round Up – July 19

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Stories:

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Include your location and it will be added to the Street Harassment Map.

In the News:

  • The Chicago Sun Times had a front page (online) story about how women activists in Chicago prompted changes to the sexual harassment policies of the Chicago Transit Authority!
  • A group of women in Sudan were arrested and several were flogged for the crime of wearing pants in public.
  • An article in the Miami Herald about changing attitudes in policies in Saudi Arabia highlights the attitude that if women were allowed to drive, they would experience more sexual harassment in public, so it’s better not to let them drive.

Announcements:

  • In partnership with local activist, including the facilitators of Holla Back DC!, I am helping to organize a free, one-day summit on street harassment, to be held in October 2009 in Washington, DC. We are holding a photography contest right now for photographers who capture or depict street harassment, particularly in the DC area. Selected winners will have the chance to show/sell their work at a reception the evening before the summit.
  • RightRides in NYC recently has expanded their services of a free ride home from Saturday nights to include Friday nights too! They offer this service from 11:59 p.m. – 3 a.m. in 45 neighborhoods across four boroughs. To call for a ride, the dispatch number is (718) 964-7781 OR (888)215-SAFE (7233).

Street Harassment Resource of the Week:

Gardner, Carol Brooks. Passing By: Gender and Public Harassment (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1995).

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Chicago’s Transit Changes Policies Due to Women Activists

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Thanks to the efforts of the Rogers Park Young Women’s Action Team (YWAT) who have been documenting the high rates of sexual harassment on public transportation in Chicago, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is expanding its policies on how bus and rail operators deal with harassers. The YWAT surveyed 639 CTA riders and found that half had been sexually harassed on the system and 13 percent had been assaulted.

From the Chicago Sun Times (where the article is a homepage feature!):

“Before, if a customer felt she was being threatened or harassed by another passenger, the operator may just decide to ‘keep an eye’ on the situation, or tell the offender to move, or call the Control Center if they felt the situation needed an immediate response, according to Amy Kovalan, CTA’s senior vice president of safety, security and risk compliance.

‘Now, operators are instructed to ask an offending individual to stop the behavior,’ Kovalan said. ‘If that person does not cease, the operator immediately will call the Control Center and will be instructed on how to proceed.’ The rule applies to any kind of harassment — not just sexual.

The CTA also is updating its public safety tips brochure to include information about harassment, and how to report it.

In addition, the CTA is expanding its ‘If you see something, say something’ posters and audio announcements to include sexual harassment. Harassment complaints to the CTA customer service line will now have a special code, so that the agency can better monitor the problem.

YWAT just came out with their survey a few weeks ago, so to have the CTA already respond with changes is huge!! Congratulations to the YWAT. I said it before, and I’ll say it again: I really admire them and their work!

I also think this is very encouraging for people who live in other areas where there are high rates of harassment on public transportation but little being done to address it. A group of individuals can make a difference!

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Chicago's Transit Changes Policies Due to Women Activists

By

Thanks to the efforts of the Rogers Park Young Women’s Action Team (YWAT) who have been documenting the high rates of sexual harassment on public transportation in Chicago, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is expanding its policies on how bus and rail operators deal with harassers. The YWAT surveyed 639 CTA riders and found that half had been sexually harassed on the system and 13 percent had been assaulted.

From the Chicago Sun Times (where the article is a homepage feature!):

“Before, if a customer felt she was being threatened or harassed by another passenger, the operator may just decide to ‘keep an eye’ on the situation, or tell the offender to move, or call the Control Center if they felt the situation needed an immediate response, according to Amy Kovalan, CTA’s senior vice president of safety, security and risk compliance.

‘Now, operators are instructed to ask an offending individual to stop the behavior,’ Kovalan said. ‘If that person does not cease, the operator immediately will call the Control Center and will be instructed on how to proceed.’ The rule applies to any kind of harassment — not just sexual.

The CTA also is updating its public safety tips brochure to include information about harassment, and how to report it.

In addition, the CTA is expanding its ‘If you see something, say something’ posters and audio announcements to include sexual harassment. Harassment complaints to the CTA customer service line will now have a special code, so that the agency can better monitor the problem.

YWAT just came out with their survey a few weeks ago, so to have the CTA already respond with changes is huge!! Congratulations to the YWAT. I said it before, and I’ll say it again: I really admire them and their work!

I also think this is very encouraging for people who live in other areas where there are high rates of harassment on public transportation but little being done to address it. A group of individuals can make a difference!

Share