When asked which transit agencies are models for sexual harassment awareness prevention and reporting, Holly Kearl of Stop Street Harassment pointed to Boston and D.C.
Advocates there have long been pushing these campaigns, which have led to an increase in reports and arrests in harassment cases, Kearl said.
In Chicago, the CTA has no plans for a sexual harassment awareness campaign. The last such campaign was in 2009.
“We are not currently planning an information campaign because we believe that customers are aware of the multiple channels” through which they can report problems, including sexual harassment, CTA spokesman Brian Steele said.
RedEye looks at how other agencies campaign against and track sexual harassment.
>> Boston: In April, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority police handed out sexual harassment awareness fliers to riders as part of a weeklong global campaign to bring attention to sexual harassment and assault on public transit. Transit police in London and D.C. also participated in their cities.
The MBTA created campaigns in 2008 and 2009 that focused on increasing reporting of sexual harassment. Last year, the transit agency introduced posters that feature men as potential victims.
The signs contain a QR code that allows riders to download an app to report unwanted behavior. The smartphone app, launched in 2012, lets riders share pictures and incident details with the police.
>> D.C.: The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has a Web-based form and e-mail address that allows riders to specifically report sexual harassment or assault. The form asks riders to specify incident location, suspect description and follow-up contact information.
Riders are encouraged to take a photo and/or video of suspects.
Other tools the D.C. agency said it has successfully implemented are enhanced training for police and staff, on-system advertising and public reporting of incident trends.
Last year, the agency also implemented a feature that allows riders to communicate with transit police via text message, according to a release.
tswartz@tribune.com | @tracyswartz
