Public Transport Lab: Sexual Harassment in Public Transport

Public Transport Lab: Sexual Harassment in Public Transport
 

Tuesday 19 October 2021 - 10.00-12.00 CET

This event the 3rd in the Public Transport lab webinar series, and is part of the POLIS Safety and Security working group.

Research shows that sexual harassment in public transport settings affects a significant number of passengers, especially women. It takes place in many European cities, inside vehicles, stops and stations, and in the paths leading to and from them.

Official statistics tend to grossly underestimate this problem, failing to capture not only its prevalence, but also the fear it causes to a wider public.

Beyond the deeply negative personal impact, it has serious implications for urban mobility, affecting travel choices and, especially, the shift to sustainable mobility. It has to be dealt with, effectively – and it’s possible to do so, because this security problem has underlying structural factors that can be acted upon by local government and public transport authorities and operators.

In this meeting we’ll find out how cities and public transport authorities are finding ways to learn about this problem, and to act on it, systematically. Colleagues directly involved in these efforts will share their insights and advice, and take part on practical discussion: what can we do about this?

Agenda:

10h00 Welcome & Introductions Suzanne Andersson Working Group Chair (City of Gothenburg)

10h10 Surveying Sexual Harassment in Public Transport Cristina Pou I Fonollà Head of Road Public Transport, Government of Catalonia

10h25 Dedicated Q&A

10h30 Tackling sexual harassment on Public Transport – a London and UK perspective Mandy McGregor Head of Transport Policing and Community Safety, Transport for London Samantha Collins Vulnerability & Safeguarding Co-ordinator, Rail Delivery Group

10h50 Dedicated Q&A

11h00 Discussion*

1 – What do we know & need to know?

2 – What are the implications for Urban Mobility?

3 – What can we do? * This will be a structured and facilitated interaction. Inputs will feed policy work by POLIS at the European level.

11h50 Wrap up

12h00 End of Session