Metro Transit Police Raise Awareness About Sexual Harassment and Assault

April 14, 2015

On this third week of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Metro Transit Police (MTPD) joined Collective Action for Safe Spaces (CASS) and Stop Street Harassment April 15 to raise awareness of sexual harassment prevention efforts on public transportation.  

To amplify the message that sexual misconduct will not be tolerated, Metro Transit Police will hold high-visibility outreach events during evening rush hour at five Metrorail stations, including:

“Every customer has the right to expect a safe ride without fear of being assaulted or harassed in any way," said Metro Transit Police Chief Ron Pavlik.  "Through our ongoing efforts, we continue to increase awareness and improve our tracking and response to sexual harassment and assault incidents on Metro.”

Designed to also raise awareness that harassment of fellow riders is not tolerated on Metro, the second phase of Metro’s anti-sexual harassment PSA is now on display across the Metro system.  

The ads feature hands representing different races and genders to illustrate that harassment is not exclusive to any one group or sex.  The concept was developed in collaboration with CASS and Stop Street Harassment.

"Stop Street Harassment is glad WMATA is continuing to prioritize sexual harassment through its latest PSAs and outreach event,” said Holly Kearl, founder and executive director of Stop Street Harassment.  “This week they are joining groups and organizations in nearly 40 countries who are also taking action for International Anti-Street Harassment Week. Our collective goal is to make buses, subways, streets and other public spaces safe for everyone."

Together with local advocacy groups, Metro has successfully implemented a number of tools to help victims of sexual harassment or assault report their experiences, including a web-based reporting form and email address, enhanced training for police and front-line employees, on-system advertising and public reporting of trends. In addition, riders can now communicate with Metro Transit Police via text simply by sending a message to “MyMTPD.” 

"DC is helping lead a global movement to end sexual harassment and assault in public space, which requires centering the stories of women and LGBTQ people who overwhelmingly experience it,” said Zosia Sztykowski, co-executive director, Collective Action for Safe Spaces. “We're excited to be part of a partnership that has moved the conversation about this issue forward by so many steps."