Public Transit Harassment Is a Solvable Problem

The opinions reflected in this OpEd are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of staff, faculty and students of The King's College.

“Okay, I have a stupid favor to ask,” I texted my boyfriend this past Friday night. After receiving his permission to “fire away,” I asked if he would meet me at the train stop since I was wearing a low-cut top and didn’t want to walk from the No. 5 train to his Brooklyn apartment alone. I’m sure he rolled his eyes.

But it wasn’t the walk that I should have been concerned about. 

When I boarded the train, an elderly man sat down beside me and asked a question about the shuttle to Flatbush. Usually, I ignore anyone who talks to me on the train, but the newsboy hat on his balding head and cane leaned up against the subway rail seemed harmless. There was no shuttle this weekend since the train was going there, I explained. Then came the torrent of questions: What was my name? Where did I get off the train? Where did I live? Would I like to keep him company on the weekend? 

I answered every question, lying for most until the train stopped, and I bolted. He followed.

Many fellow New Yorkers stopped taking public transit this year because they were afraid of contracting COVID-19, but my fear of the subway started well before this past March. When I walk onto a train car, I am constantly aware of my surroundings: who is looking at me and who I would turn to if I needed help. 

Harassment on public transit plagues commuters in many major cities. More people, men, in particular, need to step up and make a difference. I believe there are tangible steps that anyone can take to make fellow riders feel safe. 

Seventy-five percent of women traveling on New York City public transit have been victims of harassment and theft. Not all these encounters are sexual in nature, but most leave women feeling helpless or afraid. 

Over half of the female respondents in the NYU study listed safety as a concern when riding public transit, while only 20  percent of men thought it a concern. When asked how often they had been harassed, responses like "not sure – it's taken place over the course of my life" and "countless times'' were common. Most women do not report harassment on transit because, as one woman put it, “The notion of reporting everyday harassment to the authorities is bizarre to me. What would they do?”

In Los Angeles, one-third of female rail passengers and a quarter of female bus passengers reported being harassed on public transit. A local study in Washington D.C. found that 30  percent of all sexual harassment took place on public transportation. 

A U.N. study of harassment in Sri-Lanka, where public transit harassment is more frequent than any other city, reported that 82  percent of bystanders self-reported that they rarely intervene when they witness abuse in public transit. Both men and women can and should be alert to the needs of their fellow passengers.

Harassment also unfairly affects how much women pay for transit because, to avoid feeling unsafe, they turn to ride-share or taxis as transportation. On average, women in New York pay about $50 more on ride-share and $75 more on taxis a month. I rarely take the subway alone after midnight. 

Most of these harassment-related crimes don’t happen in isolation. The Instagram account UndergroundSeries documents stories of women who experienced harassment on public transit. In one post, an anonymous D.C.-based woman said that a man followed her, repeatedly asking for her number even though "There were plenty of people around especially since it was rush hour going to work." She emphasized that "no one said anything."

Most women know not to get into an empty subway or metro car. But, a rush-hour car might as well be empty if those sitting next to you aren’t willing to intervene. 

In 2012, New York passed a law that turned sexual harassment on public transit from a misdemeanor into a felony. Subsequently, other large cities like Boston, L.A., and London ran campaigns to bring awareness to this issue. However, eight years later a majority of women still experience harassment in major cities like New York. 

When I tell my male friends about my experiences being harassed, they ask how they can help. Even more often, they boast of the bravery they would show if they saw a woman in that situation. In my freshman year of college, one friend even said, "I wish that a guy would catcall a girl in front of me so I could beat him up."

I didn’t have the energy to tell him that he probably had seen a woman being harassed without even realizing. Most men do not harass women; however, there is no accountability system for harassment, particularly on public transit.

This problem is solvable, not necessarily by legislation, but by fellow commuters. If you frequently use public transit, be prepared to help those who are being harassed. Be aware of your surroundings—while you may not be directly in danger, keep an eye out for those who look uncomfortable. Be ready to video an encounter—the only way local authorities will be able to prevent the same person from striking twice is by having video or picture evidence of their crimes. Be willing to talk to the person being harassed— if you see someone who looks uncomfortable, sit next to them, or ask them questions if necessary. Ultimately, be willing to step in—watching out for your neighbor on public transportation is the first step to preventing these crimes. 

Two weeks ago, a fight broke out between two men on my train home from work. It took place in an almost empty car. I immediately looked for another passenger to form an unspoken alliance with. An elderly woman, hands raised above her head to let the duelers know she was present, walked towards me. I beckoned at her to sit down next to me. 

The fight stopped when one man said, “wait, we can’t fight with ladies present.”