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France Sets Out New Measures to Protect Women on Public Transport

Reporting remains low despite more recorded assaults across the network.

Overview

  • On Saturday, ministers Aurore Bergé and Philippe Tabarot detailed steps including expanded camera use and the deployment of more agents, with some personnel armed, to bolster safety for women in transit.
  • Official figures record 3,374 victims of sexual violence in public transport in 2024, up 6% from 2023 and 86% over a decade, with about nine in ten victims being women.
  • Only 7% of affected people filed a complaint in 2023, underscoring persistent underreporting even as recorded incidents rise.
  • A petition following an October RER C attack renewed calls for women-only train cars, though RATP and SNCF remain opposed and emphasize making the entire system safer.
  • Existing tools include roughly 80,000 surveillance cameras, the 3117 rail security number, and after-10 p.m. bus drop-offs near homes, yet many women report feeling unsafe, including 56% overall and 81% after 10 p.m. in Île-de-France.