VietNamNet Bridge – Hanoi authorities have asked the Hanoi Transport Corporation (Transerco) to consider launching some bus routes exclusively for female passengers to help prevent sexual harassment.

This instruction was made by Deputy Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Quoc Hung on Tuesday. These special bus routes will be available during the peak hours and at some areas where there are large numbers of female workers and students.

Previously, on Dec. 15, the Vice Chair told Transerco to combine with the Department of Transportation and the Police Agency to conduct a survey to identify the bus routes and the roads where women report sexual harassment, at the request of the National Traffic Safety Commission.

In its document sent to the governments of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in early December about sexual harassment on public transport, the National Road Safety Commission cited information from the press and a survey conducted by Action Aid.

According to a survey by ActionAid Vietnam and the Hanoi-based Research Centre for Gender, Family and Environment in the two cities, 57% of women (16 years old and older) said the street is the place with the highest risk of sexual harassment, while 31% of school girls said they had been sexually harassed on the bus.

Although the survey was conducted with only 2,046 people, it reflected the risk of physical and dignity harm to women who use public services, said the National Road Safety Commission.

This study also points out other public places where women are at risk of sexual harassment, such as bus stations, parks, and bus stops.

The Commission has recommended that Hanoi and HCM City conduct an investigation to determine the locations, bus routes and roads where sexual harassment against women often occurs and to take measures to prevent this phenomenon, as well as enhance public lighting, and publicize police telephone numbers and messages on how to respond to sexual harassment.

The agency has also called for women to boldly denounce their aggressors to the authorities when they face sexual harassment and other acts of abuse.

According to the Action Aid survey in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, 57% of women (aged 16 years and older) said the street has the highest risk of sexual harassment cases and 31% of girls had been disturbed on a bus. The study also pointed out other public places where women are at risk of harassment, including bus stations, parks, and bus shelters.

According to the National Road Safety Commission, although the survey results were from a small sample of people, this partly reflects the risk of physical harm and dignity, damaging psychological, emotional women's health and the use of public services.

Therefore, the Commission proposed that the two cities direct the authorities to urgently investigate and conduct surveys to determine the location, public transport routes and roads of frequent harassment; implement measures to alert and prevent harassment such as enhanced public lighting, list phone numbers of police communes, and give messages and instructions on how to respond to harassment.

In addition, it was recommended that the two cities offer training in self defense skills for women and girls and encourage them to report harassment cases to authorities when they are abused.

Thuy Trang