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Study reveals link between past harassment and women's transport anxiety

Monash University

Key points

  • Monash University researchers have surveyed over 500 women who use public transport
  • The findings show that past experiences of harassment on transit , particularly during adolescence have a lasting influence on how women perceive safety in their adulthood
  • Women with prior experiences of verbal harassment are more likely to adopt precautionary behaviours, which serve as a tool to feel safer whilst in transit

Women’s feelings of safety on public transport are profoundly shaped by past experiences of harassment, according to new research exploring women’s perceived precautionary safety whilst in transit.

The study, Women’s Perceived Precautionary Safety on Public Transit: A Life Course Perspective on Harassment Experiences, Anxiety, and Coping Behaviour, surveyed 528 women rail users across Melbourne to understand how harassment experiences influence perceived safety, anxiety, and behaviour while travelling.

Researchers from Monash University found that both verbal and physical harassment have a significant impact on women’s perceived safety, prompting them to adopt precautionary measures such as route planning, avoiding travel after dark, or changing travel modes.

Dr Rumana Sarker, Research Fellow at the Public Transport Research Group in the  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering said verbal harassment was found to be more common than physical harassment.

“Our findings showed that verbal harassment was found to be more common than physical harassment, often triggering greater precautionary behaviour. However, physical assault had a stronger negative effect on perceived safety and left deeper, more lasting effects on overall mental well-being, even when women took steps to protect themselves,” Dr Sarker said.

The study also revealed that harassment experienced during adolescence continues to affect women’s perceptions of safety well into adulthood. Women who reported being harassed on public transport before the age of 18 were more likely to experience anxiety, avoid certain transit routes, or reduce their use of rail services later in life.

Women from culturally diverse backgrounds, those who travelled less frequently after dark, and especially tram users also reported lower levels of perceived safety.

“These findings underline the emotional toll of harassment and highlight the importance of trauma-informed safety planning in public transport design and policy. Personal safety isn’t just a feeling, it shapes almost every travel decision women make. Hence, efforts to improve safety must go beyond physical infrastructure to include education, reporting systems, and community awareness that recognise the lasting impact of harassment,” Dr Sarker said.

Supported by the Monash Advancing Women’s Success Grant (2024) and the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning, the study provides valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and transport authorities seeking to create safer, more inclusive transit environments for women and gender-diverse passengers.

Read the research paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2025.103415

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