Group wants more done to fight public transit sex assaults

An international advocacy group trying to end street harassment against women wants the city to devote more resources to preventing sexual assault and harassment on public transit buses.

"I think women experience very high rates of sexual violence on Ottawa's transportation system," said Margot Challborn of Hollaback's Ottawa chapter.

"And unfortunately we've seen a lot covered in the press recently, but it's something that women experience all the time, whether or not it's highlighted in the media."

She said the group has approached the city to try to work on the issue, but called the city's response "pretty disappointing."

Counc. Diane Deans, chair of the Transit Commission, said the city met with representatives of Hollaback in February.

"At the time we committed to working with her and offered to follow up with her," Deans said, adding that an information exchange is scheduled for April 5.

"Safety is very important to us, we take it very seriously," Deans said.

OC Transpo head John Manconi said Ottawa police make uniformed and undercover patrols of buses, in addition to OC Transpo's own security staff.

"We're encouraging the public, if there's anything that they're concerned about, to let us know," Manconi said. "And we're also ensuring that all our systems are actively being used and monitored, our cameras, our panic buttons ... so it's due dilligence on all fronts, and [we're] interested to hear any ideas or suggestions that people have."

But Challborn said that doesn't go far enough.

"We were told thatthe tools that were in place already for OC Transpo were supposed to be sufficient, but having an emergency button on a bus and some preventative measures is not what we're looking for," she said.

Instead, Hollaback wants to officially partner up with the city and OC Transpo to work on the problem.

"OC Transpo has the opportunity to work with a group that is very in tune with Ottawa's needs and the women of Ottawa, and this is what we're hoping to achieve," Challborn said.

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