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General Overview

Type of stakeholder

EICS Framework

Region of Reference

Africa
Asia
Australia
Europe
North-America
South-America
World

Description

An important measure for decreasing sexual harassment and assault is the ability to call for help before or during an incident. A hotline for immediate security intervention is a number that is assigned exclusively to seeking immediate help, targeted at both victims and bystanders.

It is an emergency hotline number and is linked with either a police number or an independent number established by the transport authority which links to the police via them. A hotline entails that the calls will be immediately received, and a mechanism is already in place to follow up on the complaints.

Facts/Illustrations/Case studies

In 2015, LA Metro invited Peace Over Violence to partner and consult with their Communications and Security departments in their efforts to reduce sexual harassment/assault on public transit. This response was in part due to a survey reporting that 1 in 5 metro riders face unwanted sexual behavior on Metro. The Off Limits 24/7 sexual harassment hotline officially launched in 2017 and continues to run today. The Off Limits hotline has helped over 200 victims of sexual harassment and/or assault on LA METRO along with fielding thousands of calls from distressed riders.
There is a dedicated helpline for women in India to report any kind of violence. The number 181 is the central helpline number for women and the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) took over this service in 2016 due to insufficient response to calls. According to DCW, around 214,772 calls made to the Women’s Helpline number (as reported in 2017). The number 181 as a helpline for distressed women already exists in some states but it is not integrated with other emergency services; nor is it a cross-state, all-India system. Since 2015, there has been a proposal to make a nationwide number for women in India to call when in distress, which has been slowly launched by all states.

Types of Impact

To/from the stop/station/rank✕
Waiting for train/bus/paratransit✓
In the vehicle✓
At interchanges✓

The only area where immediate intervention cannot be managed is the portion of a trip that passengers undertake in getting to and from the transport system or vehicles.

Day-time travel✓
Night-time travel✓
Peak-time travel✓
Off peak-time travel✓

All travel time categories could be positively impacted by this intervention.

Bus✓
Train✓
Rideshare✓
4 wheelers informal✓
3 wheelers informal✓
2 wheelers informal✓
Cycling✕
Walking✕

All motorized modes of transport are impacted by this intervention.

Girls✓
Boys✓
Adult Women✓
Men✓
Elderly Women✓
LGBTQI+✓

All public transport users will be positively impacted by this intervention.

Resources

Monetary Resource Requirements
The initial set-up cost for this intervention is relatively low, but there will be ongoing expenses to keep the hotline manned and up and running during all hours of operation. Additional operational expenses will be incurred to fund the availability of personnel who will react to affect the security intervention required. Operational costs can thus vary between moderate to high levels.
Capital Cost Requirements Operational Cost Requirements
Non-Monetary Resource Requirements
Although some skills are required for the initial setup and management of the intervention, on the whole, the non-monetary resource requirements to implement and operate a hotline are not highly resource-intensive.
Skills Time Political Will

SWOT Analysis

Scalable to suit wide range of budgets
Rollout can be fast and effective
Stable technology with much experience to learn from globally

System is only effective if those receiving the calls are adequately trained and have the capacity to respond immediately and appropriately
Less effective in the context of informal transport without number plates and recognition identity

Reduction in criminal activities more broadly
Can aid existing law enforcement agencies to exercise their mandate more effectively and efficiently
Can be used as a mapping tool for place, time and types of incidence occurence

In larger cities with extensive transport networks, a large no. of incidences being reported can be difficult to follow up
If proper follow up is not undertaken and reported to the general population, trust in such systems will quickly diminish

Effectiveness

The intervention will not be as effective if immediate action is not undertaken and noticed by the general public. If security personnel are trained to respond immediately the intervention will be more effective. There is thus a relatively low level of perception of effectiveness (by female passengers) if immediate action is not undertaken and noticed by the general public. Medium to high level of confidence perception of effectiveness (by governing bodies) as they generally tend to equate establishing a system as being equal to being an effective system.

Perception by (female) passengers
Perception by governing bodies
Level of confidence in these ratings

Implementation

This intervention can be implemented within a short timeframe and benefits can ensue immediately upon implementation.

Implementation timeframe

0-1 year✓
1-3 years✕
>3 years✕

Timeframe to realise benefits

0-1 year✓
1-3 years✕
>3 years✕

Scale of Implementation

Due to the localised nature of incidents, and the requirement for in-person responses and intervention, this intervention can only really be implemented at a city, suburb or station scale.

National

Regional

City

Station or
Suburb

Ease of Implementation

Relatively easy to implement but a network needs to be in place to monitor and respond to the calls made on hotline.

List of References

Australia

Victoria Police. 2021. Public Transport Safety. [2022, January 28].

SHE CAN Tool