According to the National Observatory of Delinquency and Penal Responses (ONDRP), more than half of women feel unsafe on public transport, even though they represent two thirds of transport users.
“There is really this issue of security, which is a real problem and which is really on the minds of women all the time. They suffer a lot of violence, know that it is a risk, and therefore put in place avoidance strategies. Not only does this add a huge mental load but, in addition, it greatly affects women’s mobility and therefore their independence, ” highlighted Elsa Labouret, spokesperson for Dare feminism!
And yet, operators and manufacturers are working to increase women’s sense of safety in transport, in particular the SNCF with the alert number 3117, or even the company Alstom, which acts at the level of the psychological comfort of users.
The quality of lighting in the trains is an important factor in the feeling of insecurity, especially at night. However, this is not the only lever: visibility also plays an essential role.
“We work on large glazed surfaces, because we know that it is an element which is welcoming but which also secures because we can see what is happening. Visibility in a train is very important: we watch each other and we reassure each other.”
Anne Bigand, director of passenger experience at Alstomat franceinfo
If the improvement of real or perceived safety depends on the design of vehicles and infrastructures, it is also necessary to set up new procedures in the operation, in particular of buses, to better identify attackers before they do not act.
“In Lyon, in Lille, we do exploratory walks: you travel together in the company of women, and that allows you to better feel the situations of insecurity. There is also the descent on demand, and we have more of a dozen urban networks in France which have set it up today’, precise Marie-Ange Debon, President of the Executive Board of French Keolis, one of the world leaders in the public transport sector.
Beyond the human factor, technology is used to improve peace of mind, especially for passengers. At Alstom, artificial intelligence can detect attacks, then activate video recording or send security teams.
“Madrid-based engineering specializes in video analysis. We simulate attacks that we enter into the system and, as soon as the software detects a similar real situation, it goes up to the level of the central security system. of the train, which will trigger the video camera which will film and see what is happening”, Explain Anne Bigand.
The insecurity felt or suffered by women is not limited to France, it is a global phenomenon. India, for example, has put in place cars reserved for women, as well as a separation between men and women in buses. In addition, alarm buttons allow direct alerting of the police. Elsewhere, in Lebanon for example, pink taxis are reserved and driven by women.
However, according to Marie-Ange Debon from Keolis, the change must not only take place at the level of users, but also in the recruitment of female engineers and managers, within groups of industrialists and operators, in order to to better respond to the concerns of women in transport.
“We are working on the feminization of our professions, which are still very masculine. Two-thirds of passengers are female passengers, but only 20% of drivers are female drivers!”, precise Marie-Ange Debon.