•58 per cent of women experience sexual harassment in matatus everyday
•Management of matatus do not take any action in more than half of the reported incidents
Image: FILE
Comments on women's bodies, Isuggestive sexual remarks and groping are the most common forms of sexual harassment in Nairobi matatu routes.
The findings are revealed in a report titled Gender Sensitive Mini-Bus Services and Transport Infrastructure for African Cities Toolkit by Flone Initiative and UN Habitat, released this year.
The toolkit offers recommendations to a report by the same organisation, titled Gender Equity Assessment of Nairobi's Public Minibus Transport Services, released in November 2018.
It shows that 58 per cent of women face sexual harassment on surveyed Sacco routes everyday.
At least 38 per cent of women working in public transport named verbal harassment as the most common forms of sexual harassment followed by groping at 32 per cent.
Another 15 per cent named being asked for sexual favours by commuters, operators, police and sacco management while 11 per cent stated unwelcome sexual advances.
Four per cent of the respondents stated other forms of sexual harassment including stripping women of their clothes in public while 90 per cent of male operators said that women’s attire contributes to sexual harassment.
"Nine per cent experience sexual harassment more than twice a week while another six per cent experience it once every week," says the report.
Only three per cent of the women interviewed stated they had never experienced sexual harassment.
Reporting harassment
Six per cent of sexual harassment cases are reported to law enforcement while 32 per cent of interviewed victims chose not to take any action.
The report reveals: "A lack of trust in law enforcement and stigmatisation as a victim of sexual harassment and a lack of initiative from Sacco management to hold perpetrators responsible for their actions," as some of the reasons they choose not to report.
Other reasons cited are lack of clear reporting mechanisms or policies on how to respond to sexual harassment.
Another 21 per cent stated that they fought back but noted that it was a losing battle given that bystanders are often hesitant to assist.
Fifteen per cent respond with a heated verbal exchange, 13 per cent feel helpless and cry, 11 per cent shout in attempt to raise alarm while only two per cent report to the employee Saccos.
"More than half of reported sexual harassment cases resulted in no action being taken by the minibus transport organisation, making victims feel disillusioned by current reporting mechanisms," the report states.
When responding to cases of sexual harassment, 31 per cent of male operators said they would report the incidents to management, while 25 per cent would choose to defend the woman physically by confronting the perpetrator.
"17 per cent of men said they would warn the perpetrator while 14 per cent would do nothing to intervene. Ten per cent said they would remove the perpetrator from the bus while two per cent would reprimand ladies to dress appropriately," the report says.
Recommendations
The report reveals that sexual harassment policies were non-existent in public minibus organisations.
Incidents of sexual harassment were generalised and treated like other cases such as accidents, misconduct and arrests for minor traffic offences.
"Sacco managers interviewed said that they had not experienced sexual harassment cases hence not developed sexual harassment policies," the report shows.
It recommends the development of a customer feedback tools which provide commuters with clear reporting mechanisms.
The toolkit also recommends the development and implementation of zero-tolerance policies to sexual harassment and mandatory bi-annual sexual harassment trainings to sensitise staff on the policies.