Paris: 100% of women harassed in public transport

A lustful look and then these words: “Are you good … you suck?” “-” Well don’t go! “. Crowd hurrying, men rubbing against each other, hands getting lost… You are in the Paris metro. The place where 100% of women have already been “bothered, followed or assaulted”.

Whistlers, rubbers …

This observation comes from a report of the High Council for Equality between Women and Men (HCEfh) given this Thursday to the Secretary of State for Women’s Rights. In the middle of the international week against street harassment, the body wishes to draw attention to the situation in Parisian public transport.

“The phenomenon can start with a whistling or a remark on the length of a skirt to turn into an insult or much worse into a real aggression when a rubbing person takes advantage of the crowds of a subway to masturbate in front of you”, specifies Ernestine Ronai, co-author of the report, interviewed by The Parisian.

Indeed, harassment in transport takes different forms. He refers to the crude language and whistles used to “flirt” – Marivaux often has to turn around in his grave – as well as the more invasive and aggressive behaviors, which fall within the scope of the law.

On the difference between seducing and assaulting

“We say yes to seduction. But not with the hands on the buttocks ”, specifies Ernestine Ronai. Because for many, the distinction is not clear. Starting with the women themselves, who tend to integrate these behaviors and consider them as “normal” … Just like the witnesses of the facts, who rarely dare to protest.

The HCEfh therefore wants a national campaign to be launched, and is issuing recommendations to fight against this scourge. The authors of the report therefore recommend raising awareness of the penalties to which harassers are exposed. Like the messages broadcast over loudspeakers at stations to warn against pickpockets, SNCF and RATP could recall that touching a woman without her consent is an act punishable by five years in prison and 75,000 euros. ‘fine. The association “Stop Street Harassment” has also proposed its own information posters, inspired by those of the campaign led by the RATP on civic behavior in transport.

The HCEfh also wants the number set up by the SNCF to report assaults or accidents, 3117, to be printed on transport tickets. Finally, the stop-on-demand system could be experimented with in buses in the evening and at night. It allows women to get off between stops, so they have less distance to walk.