Almost half of U.S. women want women-only train cars on subways and transit systems according to a recent poll.
The survey, conducted by YouGov, found that 48 percent of adult women supported trains and subways nearest to them reserving a car for women only.
Of all adults, 43 percent said they would “strongly or somewhat support” the initiative whilst 30 percent “strongly or somewhat” opposed and 27 percent were unsure.
Sociologist Katie Gaddini told Newsweek she was unsurprised by the findings “given the high rates of sexual assault and harassment targeting women in the U.S.”
Research published by Statista this year found that over a one-year period, 442,754 women were raped or sexually assaulted in the country, compared to 89,053 men.
“Many American women are seeking new strategies for safety – especially younger women who have gone through the MeToo movement and are more conscious of the myriad places gendered violence occurs. Women-only trains present a safe way to travel for them,” Gaddini said.
The same women that responded to YouGov’s survey reported that they were more likely than men to experience unwanted staring, unwanted verbal remarks, cat calling, unwanted touching, and unwanted exposure.
Thirty-nine percent of women said they had experienced at least one of the above, as well as theft of personal property, whilst using public transportation – though Gaddini suggested these figures were likely underreported.
YouGov said its survey was conducted online between June 21 and June 24, among 31,624 U.S. adults, and that its margin of error was around one percent.
Trains in several countries, such as Japan, India, and Egypt already have train compartments reserved for women only.
source: Newsweek