GROUP CALLS ON WMATA TO ADDRESS SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT

Collective Action for Safe Spaces attends February 22^nd DC Council Performance Oversight Hearing on WMATA to Recommend How to Prevent Sexual Harassment and Assault

WASHINGTON, DC— During the DC City Council’s Performance Oversight Hearing of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) tomorrow, Collective Action for Safe Spaces (CASS), private citizens, and a street harassment expert will testify about public sexual harassment and assault that occurs on the transit system.

Across three years, CASS has received hundreds of stories about public sexual harassment and at least 30 percent of the experiences took place on or around transit stations, trains, buses or bus stops. CASS will recommend a three-pronged approach to curtailing these crimes.

“We want WMATA to institute a public service campaign, giving information on how to report sexual harassment and assault,” says Chai Shenoy, co-founder of Collective Action for Safe Spaces. “The fact is that this is a public safety concern—where obvious, egregious, and repeated acts are taking place in our transit system and not enough is being done to address these acts.”

Behind New York City, Washington, DC has the second largest transit system in the country, but among the top four largest transit systems, it does the least to address sexual harassment and assault. For example, while the three other cities, Boston, Chicago, and New York, instituted anti-sexual harassment PSA campaigns in 2008 and 2009, Washington, DC still does not have one.

In addition to a campaign, the advocacy group wants the DC City Council to urge WMATA to collect data on sexual harassment and train their employees and the Transit police on how to address sexual harassment and assault complaints. In addition, the training would underscore the importance of not sexually harassing passengers.

The hearing will take place on February 22, 2012 in the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, Room 500 at or around 1 p.m. It will also be streamed live at http://dccouncil.us/granicus.

Collective Action for Safe Spaces is a grassroots organization that aims to empower the DC Metro area to build a community free from public sexual harassment and assault. It is accomplished through online activism, public policy and advocacy, community workshops, and innovative direct services. Find more information at www.collectiveactiondc.org or Twitter @hollabackdc.

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If you would like more information about this topic, or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Chai Shenoy at chai@collectiveactiondc.org or (202) 556-4232.

Cross posted from Stop Street Harassment:

Deplorable. What senseless violence and end to such a young person’s life.

From video footage in the area, police described the suspect as “a black male between 30 and 40 years old wearing blue jeans, a gray hooded sweatshirt and black jacket. Anyone with information on the person of interest is advised to contact detectives investigating Jones’ death via the MPD tip line at (202) 727-9099 or texting to 50411.”

Via the DCist.com:

“Jones’ death brings up memories of a wave of attacks last year against members of D.C.’s transgender community. Perhaps most jarring was the killing last September of

Gaurav Gopalan, an aerospace engineer and theater director. One activist told DCist last week that 61 percent of transgender people experience some kind of violence against them, and in the case of transgender people of color, like Jones, the rate is even higher.”

Last night I joined two of my fellow Collective Action for Safe Spaces board members and about one hundred community members, family members and friends of Deoni at the bus stop for a vigil. We held lit candles and listened to prayers, memories shared of Deoni’s life, and condemnations of the senseless killing from trans-rights organizations and representatives from the mayor’s office and the police department.

Near the end of the vigil, someone let loose a bunch of colorful balloons. Each balloon represented the life of a transgender person who was murdered in DC over the last few years. People shouted out the names of their loved ones, including Deoni’s. It was a touching tribute and also sobering to see the visual showing just how many hateful murders have taken place.

The streets should be safe for everyone.

Via the DC Trans Coalition site:

“If you have been a victim of violence, or if you know someone who has, you can reach out to us at 202.681.3282 or email dctc@dctranscoalition.org. You can also call Transgender Health Empowerment at 202.636.1646 or HIPS via their 24-hour hotline at 1.800.676.HIPS. If you need police assistance, dial 911 or call the Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit at 202.506.0714.”