Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

Perth Taxi Driver Charged with Sexual Assault

By

A few months ago I wrote about an alleged sexual aggression toward a female passenger by a taxi driver in Brisbane, Australia, which prompted authorities in the area to warn females not to take taxis alone late at night (how helpful – not).

Well, now I just read about a taxi driver in Perth, Western Australia, who allegedly sexually assaulted a passenger in February and is now being charged with that crime.

“”It will be alleged the 22-year-old female victim was being driven home in a taxi from Fremantle and the driver took her to an industrial area in Malaga and sexually assaulted her,” police spokesman Samuel Dinnison said.

Mr Dinnison said it was alleged the taxi driver then drove the woman to his house and left her there.

Sex assault squad officers located the taxi driver last night and charged him with two counts of sexual penetration without consent.

He will appear in the Midland Magistrates Court on Tuesday, July 14.”

How horrible for the young woman. I hope he is charged and that his sentence deterrs any other taxi drivers from engaging in assault… Horrible horrible.

Share

Chicago’s Superstars Address Harassment on the CTA

By

I’ve long admired the anti-street harassment work of the Rogers Park Young Women’s Action Team (YWAT) in Illinois (for example, a few years ago they held a citywide Day of Activism against Street Harassment). Their current work to address harassment on Chicago’s public transportation makes me admire then even more.

Photo from the Sun Times
Photo from the Sun Times

The YWAT recently surveyed 639 CTA riders, mostly young women, and found that over half of the respondents had been sexually harassed on the CTA and thirteen percent had been sexually assaulted. Of those who had been harassed or assaulted, only 9 percent said they filed a complaint with the police or CTA. Supporting the low reporting rate, there were only two recorded incidents of criminal sexual assault on the whole Chicago transportation system in 2008. Via the Chicago Sun Times:

“Ronnett Lockett, 20, a Northern Illinois University student and another member of the group, said one problem is that women might be frightened and not know how to respond. Ads on trains would help people know what to do, Lockett said.

The group also wants CTA employees and police to be trained in how to deal with harassment. …

CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney said the agency takes these things ‘very seriously.’ But riders who feel threatened have to speak up, she said.

‘Should a customer feel threatened at any time as the result of another individual’s behavior, they should notify the rail operator immediately via the use of the emergency call button,’ Gaffney said.

At L stations, customer assistants or security guards are on duty during service hours, Gaffney said.

And CTA buses and many L stops are equipped with security cameras networked to the CTA’s control center, Gaffney said. Some stations have already been renovated to include brighter lighting, and the agency is in the process of installing more security cameras.”

The YWAT is holding a poetry slam about sexual harassment on the CTA to gather more stories about harassment and open community dialogue about this problem too many women and girls face. The event will be held on June 27.

I’m glad they are continuing to address the problem of harassment and assault in public spaces (like buses and subways) that women in their community face simply for being female.  Their work will make a difference.

Share

Chicago's Superstars Address Harassment on the CTA

By

I’ve long admired the anti-street harassment work of the Rogers Park Young Women’s Action Team (YWAT) in Illinois (for example, a few years ago they held a citywide Day of Activism against Street Harassment). Their current work to address harassment on Chicago’s public transportation makes me admire then even more.

Photo from the Sun Times
Photo from the Sun Times

The YWAT recently surveyed 639 CTA riders, mostly young women, and found that over half of the respondents had been sexually harassed on the CTA and thirteen percent had been sexually assaulted. Of those who had been harassed or assaulted, only 9 percent said they filed a complaint with the police or CTA. Supporting the low reporting rate, there were only two recorded incidents of criminal sexual assault on the whole Chicago transportation system in 2008. Via the Chicago Sun Times:

“Ronnett Lockett, 20, a Northern Illinois University student and another member of the group, said one problem is that women might be frightened and not know how to respond. Ads on trains would help people know what to do, Lockett said.

The group also wants CTA employees and police to be trained in how to deal with harassment. …

CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney said the agency takes these things ‘very seriously.’ But riders who feel threatened have to speak up, she said.

‘Should a customer feel threatened at any time as the result of another individual’s behavior, they should notify the rail operator immediately via the use of the emergency call button,’ Gaffney said.

At L stations, customer assistants or security guards are on duty during service hours, Gaffney said.

And CTA buses and many L stops are equipped with security cameras networked to the CTA’s control center, Gaffney said. Some stations have already been renovated to include brighter lighting, and the agency is in the process of installing more security cameras.”

The YWAT is holding a poetry slam about sexual harassment on the CTA to gather more stories about harassment and open community dialogue about this problem too many women and girls face. The event will be held on June 27.

I’m glad they are continuing to address the problem of harassment and assault in public spaces (like buses and subways) that women in their community face simply for being female.  Their work will make a difference.

Share

Salt Lake City Groper May Have Other Victims

By

I’m a few weeks late with this, but I just came across a news story about a man who was arrested in May for groping two women (two different incidents) in public in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. The police believe he may have groped other women and are asking for anyone he targeted to come forward. The two women he groped were both 28 years old with blond hair who looked similar, so they think he may have been targeting specific women.

Share

Cab Driver Allegedly Assaults Passenger in L.A.

By

In Los Angeles, California, a cab driver has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a female passenger. Unlike the recent incident in Malaysia where it sounds like the cab driver was assaulting women in the cab, this cab driver followed the woman into her home and assaulted her there. After the woman called the police, the cab company fully cooperated with the police and the driver was arrested last week.

“The L.A. Department of Transportation is stressing that with 2,300 licensed cab drivers in the city of L.A., taking a cab is still a safe way to get around town.” – via ABC local news

I think this is better advice – free from fear-mongering – than the advice given to women in Australia after a cab driver became aggressive toward a female passenger: “The best thing to do is not to travel alone at night.” Some advice, huh? It’s not realistic for everyone to avoid being out alone at night and it places the responsibility for avoiding the problem with the women instead of the perpetrators.

The LAPD believes there could be other victims and urges anyone with information to call the LAPD at (877) 527-3247.

Share