ABSTRACT
This chapter reports the results of a survey on sexual transit crime with 740 students. During the last three years, most women declared having been victims of at least one sexual offense: 79.8% of them when riding rail transit (compared to 27.3% of men); 71.7% of them when waiting on the platform or at the stop (compared to 22.7% of men); and 71.2% of them when walking to or from the station, platform, or stop (compared to 9.1% of men). About one-third of female victims and four male victims out of 22 declared having reported the offenses. During daytime, the majority of students felt safe: 82.7% of women and 92.2% of men declared feeling “always” or “often” safe when riding rail transit; and 82.9% of women and 92.2% of men declared feeling “always” or “often” safe when walking to or waiting on the platform or at the stop. The majority of women (69.5%) declared taking precautions to prevent victimization in rail transit, whereas this was less often the case for men (37.0%). The chapter briefly summarizes the main findings from the case study and makes suggestions for research and practice.
