As Los Angeles's Metro system continues to expand and attract new riders, there's legitimate concern that some commuters will look for other options because of experiences with sexual harassment on buses and trains. Even though reports of sexual harassment were slightly down on Metro lines last year, about one in five respondents in rider surveys said they had experienced it. Meanwhile, a French survey of 600 women found that all respondents had been harassed while riding public transit.
That's why it's nice to see that Metro has released a new video (via The Source) as part of its "off limits" campaign, which encourages riders to report harassment when they see or experience it during their commutes. Unfortunately, while it's certainly not the worst public service ad ever made, the video doesn't seem to have quite the same production values as the dramatic Expo Line Extension preview that the transportation agency unveiled last week. A series of talking heads edited together somewhat awkwardly seems unlikely to stir up the kind of conversation needed to raise awareness about the problem. Come on, Metro, throw some Measure R funds at this project. This is a serious issue.
- Metro’s new anti-sexual harassment video [The Source]
- Metro Survey Shows Sexual Harassment is Slightly Down [Curbed LA]
- Gold Line Extension is More Popular Than Metro Expected [Curbed LA]
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