"No abuse on the bus": the AMB's campaign to prevent sexual assaults on public transport

BarcelonaThe Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) has launched the awareness campaign "On the bus, stop abuse" to prevent and combat sexual assault and abuse on public transport. Under the slogan "In the event of harassment, we act as an AGENT on the bus," the initiative aims to involve users, especially those on buses, so that if they detect inappropriate behavior, they can report the situation.

The Vice President of Mobility, Transport and Sustainability of the AMB, Carlos Cordón, said at the presentation of the plan on Tuesday that this is intended to increase the perception of safety among bus users, who feel uncomfortable due to "glances, comments, or touching" that occur on and off board. In this regard, he indicated that sometimes, passengers themselves "are the first and only ones to detect these situations" of abuse or assault, and that is why "their intervention is key" to stopping the attacks. The campaign also includes recommendations for those who encounter a situation of this type, ranging from warning the driver to distracting the aggressor "with a random question," taking note of the details for possible reporting, or offering help to the victim.

The campaign, which was presented at the AMB headquarters, addresses the concerns of public transport users. According to theAMB Victimization Survey 202447.7% of the population feels alert when traveling on public transport, and 11.7% feel unsafe or in danger. Cordón has called for "not creating alarm" and, instead, for "building community" in public transport.

The "Al bus, stop abuse" campaign will be running until October on 45 buses across six metropolitan lines. This is not the only measure being implemented this year to protect vulnerable groups on public transport. The AMB (Association of Autonomous Communities) has recently expanded the Intermediate positions in demand for women in the Nitbus service and is already active on a total of 16 metropolitan night bus lines in 17 municipalities, and allows users to get closer to their destination by getting off at an intermediate point along the route, so they walk only for less time.