Role of Bystanders on Women’s Perception of Personal Security When Using Public Transport

Women frequently face gender-based harassment when using public transport and adjust their travel behavior as a result. The present study focuses on how the presence of bystanders influences women’s sense of security and self-efficacy while using public transport. The study assesses the impact community support and social norms, perceived responsibilities of authority, and environmental factors have on women’s perception of security in the context of harassment. We conducted an online survey in Auckland, New Zealand ( n = 524). We analyzed results for differences in responses by gender and intersectional identities such as ethnicity and LGBTQ+. We used common factor analysis to uncover hypothesized latent variables that affect women’s perceptions of security and expectations of bystanders. The analysis produced a four-factor model for women+. The strongest factor in the women+ model was Community, followed by Authority, Confidence, then Vigilance. The women+ model suggests bystander and community support is an important expectation for women using public transport, affecting their perception of security and self-efficacy. For comparison and to gain insight into the role men may have as bystanders, we performed factor analysis on responses from men. The resulting three-factor model included factors for Confidence, Authority, and Vigilance. The strength of the Confidence factor for men suggests there is space for calling men in as bystanders who are informed and willing to act. Overall, study findings indicate that anti-harassment strategies can be strengthened by building an active bystander community, bolstering support for vulnerable riders, and helping establish harassment as an unacceptable form of passenger behavior.