When the TTC launched its new safety app two weeks ago, the accompanying campaign boldly announced an open secret in Toronto: harassment happens everywhere on the TTC. Across subway trains, busses and streetcars, a series of posters detail real-life rider experiences of harassment based on gender identity, ability and race.
One poster, plastered to the back of a bus seat, reads ThisIsWhere Agatha leaned away when someone leaned in to kiss her.” Another says, #ThisIsWhere Mandip confronted a racist.” One poster, placed on a handrail says, #ThisIsWhere Tran held her breath when someone held himself too close.
These posters are part of an ongoing campaign to promote the new SafeTTC app. Available for iPhone and Android users, the app allows riders to file reports of harassment directly to the TTCs transit control by sending texts, photos or videos of the incident. A trained TTC employee then respond via the app.
According to TTC spokesperson Susan Sperling, the TTCs response depends on the situation and ranges from a two-way communication ensuring the complainants safety to dispatching transit enforcement and the police.
We started talking about [the app] a couple years ago because we know that sexual harassment and sexual assault is an issue, says Sperling. We wanted to own the issue. We wanted to do something about it and make a safe transit system even safer.
Sperling says the app is another tool riders can use to combat harassment on the TTC, which according to statistics, is desperately needed. As reported by the Toronto Star, between 2011 and 2015, the Toronto Police received 577 reports of sexual assault on the TTC. Compare that to the TTCs own records, which received only 67 reports in 2015.
Sperling says the app has been downloaded over 1,000 times since September 15 and so far, theyve received around 130 reports.
For Toronto Women’s City Alliance (TWCA), an organization dedicated to advocating for womens issues in Toronto, the app is an improvement in addressing harassment especially since it deals with sexual assault, racism, ableism and homophobia but more work needs to be done.
The app is a great first step, but its a drop in a much larger bucket of a conversation that needs to be happening about accessibility, inclusivity and safety on transit, says a TWCA steering committee member who asked to remain anonymous.
The committee member questioned the training of the TTC employees who respond to the complainants and what solutions they might offer.
The TTC assesses if they need to call the police depending on the report, but there could be reasons why they didnt want to go down that route, like if they dont have status or have faced violence against police, she says. Its still very difficult for people to report this stuff, especially if they know they have to go to the police afterwards.
Sperling’s response is that while in some cases the TTC will dispatch police, like if someone was physically touched, the complainant would be aware in advance.
Terri-Lynn Langdon, a member of the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee, has advocated for a more gender-based approach to safety on the TTC. As part of the committee, her recommendations included removing large advertisements from bus shelters that reduce visibility and expanding the Request Stop program, which allows riders travelling alone from 9 pm to 5 am to exit the bus between regular stops, to include more stops for wheelchair users. Langdon says the TTC has not yet addressed the committees issues regarding accessibility and safety.
When is the TTC going to dedicate a budget to improve safety and access? Its not there. It always comes down to budget, but that comes down to how you construct your budget, she says.
Ahead of the launch, the TTC consulted with METRAC and the Toronto Police Sex Crimes units for feedback.
The TWCA committee member believes although that’s important, its crucial that voices of women and marginalized folks are heard throughout the planning process.
Having women at the decision-making level for transit planning is really important so we can ensure these safety issues are coming up again. We need to address this somehow.
samanthae@nowtoronto.com | @SamEdwardsTO
