A third of women experience harassment in Czech public transport

A new poll has shown that over a third of women and ten percent of men have experienced sexual harassment on Czech public transport. A quarter of public transport users have meanwhile witnessed the harassment of someone else.

The poll, conducted by the Focus agency for the Czech government, revealed the extent and nature of harassment experienced by people traveling in the Czech Republic, with 35 percent of women experiencing sexual misconduct.

Instances of harassment mentioned by poll respondents included staring, standing too close on purpose, inappropriate comments and suggestions, sexual gestures and movements, blocking of movement, and forced personal contact. More serious instances included indecent exposure, unwanted touching and kissing, sexual coercion, and attempted rape.

“It is plain from other studies in the EU that sexual harassment occurs relatively frequently in the Czech Republic, and that we are slightly above average in this respect. Together with other countries in Eastern Europe, we face the problem that some people still downplay the issue and do not see the problem as serious. Some people still consider the milder forms of sexual harassment to be acceptable behavior,” Radan Šafařík, head of the government’s gender equality section, said when presenting the results to journalists.

The poll shows that women face harassment far more often than men. Nearly three of out five women mentioned instances of people staring or standing too close. A quarter of respondents had experienced someone masturbating in front of them, while 7 percent had faced attempted rape.

The poll showed that a third of passengers who witness such harassment does not intervene in any way. Respondents suggested that the installation of buttons calling for help would be a positive step, while more frequent police patrols were also called for.

Šafařík suggested EU subsidies and grants could be used to introduce measures enhancing safety on public transport.