Enacting laws against specific offences is also only part of the picture of effecting change – proper implementation requires appropriate enabling policy frameworks that guide the relevant government departments across the spectrum, faithful compliance with duties under the law, and sufficient resources to enable appropriate service provision.

Collecting a quality database on incidents of sexual harassment can assist in managing the problem, but obtaining this data is fraught with problems. Some of the reasons why victims of rape will not report these incidents to the police include:

• Trauma, that may prevent them from recalling or being able to talk about what happened to them

• Not understanding that what has happened to them constitutes rape

• Shame as a result of being raped

• The fear of being blamed for their victimisation

• The risk of retaliation by the perpetrator and/or their supporters, family and friends

• The fear of not being believed by police, healthcare workers, and family/friends

• The risk of stigma and ostracization because of harmful cultural beliefs and norms (for example, that women who have been raped are ‘damaged goods)

• A lack of support systems to assist victims to report to the police and to see the case through to its conclusion in the criminal justice system

• The belief that the criminal justice system or authorities will not respond appropriately to reports

• Secondary victimisation at the hands of insensitive officials who employ problematic beliefs and stereotypes to undermine the credibility of reports of sexual violence.

Ensuring that first responders or reporting officers understand the law and have a clear idea of how to respond appropriately and where to access the services, care and support for the survivor is critical and can not only improve victims’ experiences of reporting but also increase the likelihood that the survivor will see a prosecution through to completion. In many countries, a lack of attention by the justice systems to sexually motivated crimes that happen to women while travelling can lead to reluctance to report incidents; and research shows that this is largely due to a widespread lack of trust in security agencies, especially in developing regions.

Women are more likely to report incidents of harassment where authorities take complaints of harassment seriously, and where the penalties for being found guilty of the offence are enforced. Weak, unclear, or absent legal and policy frameworks allow the problem to flourish. Successful initiatives to combat this behaviour include more, visible and better trained, law enforcement and private security personnel who respond to complaints of harassment. Best practice dictates that these officers should be trained to recognise street harassment and understand the harm it causes, should avoid victim-blaming, should provide appropriate responses and care for the victim, and should be willing to make official reports in such cases.

The institutional and legal framework on the security of mobility and responses when crime happens varies widely. In many countries, when crime or sexual harassment takes place, there is often a problem with statutory definitions, such as definitions of harassment in public spaces. Laws, regulations, and responsibilities of security agencies can also vary from one jurisdiction to another. For example, transit authorities may have jurisdiction over public motor vehicles, and trains, while local police forces have jurisdiction over the streets (public space) stations or terminals (which may be part of the same transit system) or they, can be shared competencies. Moreover, there is frequently a lack of clarity of the roles and responsibilities for post-incident support of women survivors of violence in public transport, and related services—medical care, safe accommodation, psychological counselling, police protection and/or legal advice—compounded by a lack of coordination among these services.

Clarifying jurisdictional issues and criminalizing harassment in public spaces, can provide women with the legal tools they need to ensure a safe user experience.