Dangerous journeys

Men and women live in separate worlds of danger. Coming home late at night, a man will take the bus or train and then walk to his house. In most cases (in this country anyway), he will be untroubled and not consider himself at risk of assault. By contrast, a young woman travelling late at night will be alert for danger. When taking a late-night taxi journey, she will only book a taxi from a reputable firm, sit behind the driver to avoid eye-contact, check that the route is correct on her mobile phone, speak as little as possible but mention a husband or partner at home (even if she lives alone), and ask to be dropped off near but not at her front door. A YouGov survey in 2022 found that 74% of British women aged 18 to 29 feel unsafe when travelling in a taxi by themselves. Yet other surveys report that women still regard taxis as safer than buses. 

Women’s fears come from personal experience and what they have heard from their friends. A survey by the British Transport Police in 2023 found that one third of women have experienced sexual assault or harassment on public transport. ‘Harassment’ ranges  from touching and groping, to catcalling and improper suggestions. One of the most common types is when a woman sits alone on an empty train or bus and a man chooses to sit next to her. Danger can arise not just when travelling, but also when waiting for a train, bus or taxi. Suburban and country railway stations are unmanned, particularly at night. Even in mainline stations, there may be long dark platforms, large and poorly-lit carparks, and no obvious refuges. Many trains and all buses are driver-only, which means there is no source of help to passengers in case of threat. The walk home in the dark from the bus stop or station can feel unsafe, and many women use their mobile phone to speak to a friend or relative so that they can call for help quickly. 

Responsibility for the personal safety of women on public transport therefore largely falls upon the women themselves. But much more could be done by public authorities to reduce risk. Railway stations should be better lit and better staffed. Transport authorities should employ officers to patrol bus routes which have a high incidence of abuse, while CCTV on buses and shelters can be monitored centrally to spot problems. Taxi services need a central register of approved drivers, and licenses should be reviewed regularly and taken away from drivers with a record of harassment. 

We also need education so that people who work in public transport know how best to manage any harassment they observe, how to respond if they are approached by someone needing support, especially to avoid minimising the situation or blaming the victim. Most important of all, we need to educate men. Most men have little idea of the risks women face in public places and how this shapes their behaviour. Many are influenced by the vast tide of malevolent information on social media, funded by neo-Nazi billionaires, which extol a fake masculinity which denigrates women as subservient beings who exist only to be impregnated and abused. We need to assert a better masculinity, which teaches that the role of men is to provide, to protect and to comfort.