RATP and SNCF have strengthened their system for combating sexual violence in public transport, the two Ile-de-France networks said on Monday, International Women's Rights Day.
“
It is the culmination of awareness: women should no longer be afraid in public transport (...).
When we are harassed, we have an answer
”, underlined Valérie Pécresse, president of the region and of Ile-de-France Mobilités, during a press conference in Châtelet-Les-Halles, the RER railway node (network regional express) and the Paris metro.
Since January 1, RATP has put in place a new support system for victims, which is intended to be more complete and reassuring.
The 6,500 agents in contact with users have been trained to welcome victims, collect the facts, notify the security services and give contact with associations.
The agents also facilitate the lodging of complaints in the police stations installed in the large Parisian stations.
They can suggest to the victim to be accompanied to the police station or to his home, and to inquire about him afterwards.
"
The stake is that she goes to file a complaint, it is the only tool to stop the perpetrators of these facts
", and "to
protect other women behind
", specified Sandrine Charnoz, head of a new cell of fight against harassment at RATP.
The victim must also "
feel supported: that she understands that what she has experienced is not normal and that we are at her side,
" she stressed.
Thirteen victims have been supported since January 1 on the RATP network.
An emergency number
The emergency number 3117 (or 31177 by sms), still little known but "
victim of its success
", will be taken care of by rail security and extended to other transport services in France, underlined Sylvie Charles, director General of Transilien, during a second press conference at the Gare du Nord.
To fight against these crimes, video surveillance is "
essential
", according to Valérie Pécresse.
"
80% of declared violence concerns trips at peak evening hours
," said the president of the region.
As women sometimes prefer to go home, "
the video surveillance tapes should be kept as soon as a pre-complaint is filed, and not be erased after 72 hours
".
Online pre-complaints should soon be made possible by a decree, said Valérie Pécresse.
She also asks that repeat offender harassers, "
types unpunished for years
", can be banned from access to transport networks by the courts.
