In one year, the number of cases reported to the police for crimes of a sexual nature in public transport on the island of Montreal has seen a significant increase, according to data obtained by The dutyThis increase could be due to the fact that more people are deciding to denounce, particularly in the wake of awareness campaigns, according to organizations.
From 2022 to 2023, the total number of sexual assaults, sexual interference, incitement to sexual contact and voyeurism reported on public transit on the Island of Montreal increased from 55 to 82, according to figures provided by the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM). These data concern cars and metro stations, buses and bus shelters, trains, railway tracks, park-and-ride lots and other means of public transportation.
Some transport companies have seen an increase in their ridership recently, such as the 21% increase observed at the STM from 2022 to 2023, without however returning to the pre-pandemic level.
From 2022 to 2023, the increase in cases of sexual crimes on all public transportation on the island of Montreal reported to the SPVM, however, corresponds to approximately 49%. These “alarming” figures are possibly “just the tip of the iceberg,” says Roxanne Deniger, community organizer at the Centre d’éducation et d’action des femmes de Montréal (CÉAF). Many people are still reluctant to report what they have experienced to the authorities, for fear of not being believed, she says.
The fact remains that victims are increasingly speaking out, says Deborah Trent, executive director of the Montreal Centre for Victims of Sexual Assault (CVASM). An increase in cases reported to law enforcement does not necessarily mean that there were more sexual crimes that year: it could instead be a sign that victims are more willing than before to talk about what they have suffered, she says.
Recent awareness campaigns have shown the population “that they have the right to report, that society supports victims and that they are believed,” she emphasizes.me Trent mentions the initiative Witness, let’s actphase 1 of which was carried out in the spring and summer of 2023 by the City of Montreal, the SPVM and the STM.
It aimed in particular to equip citizens so that they can intervene safely when they witness street harassment, described as “hurtful behavior, adopted by strangers, which can be seen on a daily basis and which are often trivialized (e.g. whistling at a person in the street) or criminal acts (e.g. hitting someone).”
“This campaign also aimed to encourage citizens to ask for help and gather the necessary information in order to file a complaint, if necessary,” explains the office of Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante. Reached by The duty, He indicates that the second phase of the initiative Witness, let’s act will be launched next fall. “We hope it will help reduce harassment in Montreal.”
For its part, the SPVM declined our request for an interview about the figures it provided. “We cannot comment on the reasons for this data without falling into hypotheses and we always work from facts,” it wrote.
Harassed every week
Ariane Sousa-Caron, who recently moved to Quebec City, says she was subjected to weekly stares on public transit when she lived in Montreal. Eloquent and jovial, the 25-year-old lowers her voice as she describes being followed to her house about two years ago by a man who was on the same bus as her.
“He got off at the same stop as me. Then he accosted me and I told him I really wasn’t interested. He still followed me and grabbed my hand. I kept walking further and then I went to my door. He was behind me and he was insisting that I give him my number. I told him again that I really wasn’t interested and I went back inside, locking my door,” she recalls.
Today, she notes that having experienced several episodes of street harassment ended up creating in her a feeling of insecurity on public transport. “It took accumulation for me to say to myself at some point: ‘Don’t dress like that on the subway. Put on a big coat to go out and take it off later.’”
Street harassers don’t fit a specific profile of person, Ariane Sousa-Caron points out. “It can be anyone, any man who looks like anyone.” Women are victims, from a young age, she adds. “There’s a loss of confidence that occurs. It breaks a kind of bubble, because adults are supposed to, technically, keep you safe, but in these kinds of situations, they’re the ones who are the danger.”
Act as witnesses
When they witness street harassment, many people choose to ignore the situation because they don’t feel equipped to help victims, explains Roxanne Deniger of the CÉAF. “There is also a question of trivialization. Some will think that it’s not serious, that it doesn’t concern them and that the person who is experiencing it should just leave.”
When she was harassed on public transport, Ariane Sousa-Caron would have liked to see the passengers around her react. “Just the fact of coming to see someone who is going through this and giving them a small talkit can really help. It’s not very confronting and it’s reassuring.”
In these types of situations, you should not hesitate to call on STM employees, such as bus drivers, says the Director of Safety and Fire Safety, Jocelyn Latulippe. “There are helplines on the metro platforms and all the employees in the stations,” he says, refraining from commenting on the SPVM figures, since they do not only concern the Société de transport de Montréal facilities.
In the metro cars, there are intercoms to communicate directly with train operators. There are also emergency brakes, to be used in case of “extreme emergency,” according to the STM website.
Since last January, safety ambassadors dressed in blue and black have been on duty to accompany STM passengers who do not feel safe, adds Mr. Latulippe. Along with the special constables, they are specifically trained to collect, among other things, reports from victims of street harassment.
“Our challenge is to create this bond of trust with customers. And we succeed in doing this through the training we give to our employees,” he maintains. “Our mission is to transport humans, so we want to act in a humane way,” adds Jocelyn Latulippe.
Joined by The dutythe Réseau express métropolitain, which officially entered service at the end of July 2023, states in writing that its intervention personnel are present to ensure the safety of passengers. “We would also like to remind you that our cars and stations are equipped with cameras and a direct communication system with our operations personnel, which allows us to report any problematic situation and intervene quickly if necessary,” emphasizes Francis Labbé, assistant director of media relations at CDPQ Infra.
As for Exo, a transportation organization that serves the suburbs of Montreal, it says it takes “every event” that is reported to it seriously. “We want to send a message to our customers to not hesitate to contact our staff in the field and in our services, if they ever witness an event, if they are victims or if they do not feel safe. We are there to support them, it is a priority for us,” says the organization’s spokesperson, Catherine Maurice.