• To better decipher violence against women in transport, the Paris Region Institute and the National Observatory of Delinquency in Transport have written a study that combines their surveys.

  • Sexist and sexual attacks in transport concern women in nine out of ten cases.

  • According to the IPR study, women under 25 are the most affected by this violence (47.3% of victims).

Nine out of ten cases of sexual and sexist abuse in Ile-de-France public transport concern women.

To better decipher violence against women in public transport areas in Ile-de-France, the Paris Region Institute and the National Observatory of Delinquency in Transport (ONDT) have written a study that combines their two surveys.

It appears that 93% of these attacks are women.

The youngest are particularly affected, since 47.4% of female victims are under the age of 25 (compared to 34.7% of male victims).

In 2020, the ONDT recorded more than 2,500 sexist attacks.

According to the study, these breaches are mostly committed in regional trains and RER (1,447 breaches).

Then come the metro (599), the bus (308) and then the tram (156).

At night, not necessarily more dangerous

"Don't take public transport alone at night", young girls regularly hear.

The feeling of insecurity in public transport is expressed particularly at nightfall.

"This structuring of fears around darkness is, in part, out of step with the facts", note the authors of the study.

According to ONDT figures, almost as much violence takes place during the day: 46% of physical sexual assaults and half of other types of sexual and sexist assaults were committed in the morning or afternoon.

Still, "the distribution of sexual and sexist abuse by time slot reaches its highest level between 7 p.m. and the end of service", qualifies the study.

And then, at night, the fears of Ile-de-France residents are fueled by deserted places and the presence of alcoholic or drugged people in transport.

Fight against gender-based abuse

Always remain vigilant, be accompanied, appear busy… Women do not lack techniques to try to avoid these anxiety-provoking situations.

But above all, they require the adoption of concrete measures.

The development of the “Downhill on demand” operation in buses is their first demand.

The device [which consists of offering users the possibility of getting off between two bus stops] is currently only in place in around sixty buses in Ile-de-France.

They are also asking for more surveillance cameras.

Our file on violence against women

“Making these spaces more secure […] by helping to make them less anxiety-provoking remains a priority for transport players,” argue Hélène Heurtel and Fabrice Fussy, authors of the study.

Especially since 5% of Ile-de-France women have stopped using public transport, out of fear.

But for 43% of female victims, this is not an option.

They have no choice but to continue to take public transport on a daily basis.

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  • Paris

  • Ile-de-France

  • Insecure

  • Security

  • Public transport

  • Violence against women

  • Sexual violence