SEPTEMBER 12 — There is a lot of uproar about the dedicated women’s coach on the MRT. A few months ago, the government announced a dedicated women’s coach initiative as a solution to the safety issues women have been experiencing while taking public transport. RapidKL is now preparing to enforce this dedicated coach in the coming days. There are many studies and data to back up this initiative. Many studies worldwide and in Malaysia show that women typically feel unsafe in public. A Malaysian study published by AWAM and Cent-GPS last year showed that a majority of women feel unsafe in public. 57 per cent of women experience verbal sexual harassment when walking in public, while 25 per cent have experienced being stalked all the way home.
With all these statistics and data, it is understandable that RapidKL and the government would want to make women feel safe while taking public transport. After all, cases of sexual harassment in public transport are common for women. Just last month, a woman was sexually assaulted while on a train platform. The danger women experience while being out in public is very real.
Which is why it is very disappointing and upsetting when there are comments from the public transport community that severely criticise this initiative. Worse still, they openly blame women for causing men to be discriminated against in public transport. This initiative is accused of pandering to a “Western feminist agenda”, while some counter-arguments say that men too, are sexually harassed while using public transport, therefore, a dedicated coach for women is moot. Everyone gets sexually harassed and should receive it equally. These are the more mild comments among the hundreds more very unsavoury ones.
However, it is worth understanding why there is a pushback against this women’s coach initiative, despite the many misogynistic comments. The main point here is capacity. The MRT is currently operating on a limited number of coaches. The implementation of a dedicated coach for women reduces this capacity, especially when men will still have to go into shared-sex coach. While women have a dedicated coach for themselves. This initiative has been framed as the wrong solution to the right problem. There is merit in that.
What there isn’t merit for however, is the anti-women comments. It is unsurprising that many of these comments in the public transport community come from young men. Young men who cannot imagine the fear and anxiety women experience on a daily basis. From the moment they leave their homes, to having to adjust their behaviour so as to not be taken the wrong way. Or having to look over your shoulder when walking down the street. Or having to take the long way around because an area feels off. To not feel safe unless you are in numbers with a group of friends. These are among the many concerns that a woman goes through daily. We have had to grow up adapting to a world unsafe for women. This is a phenomenon called “negotiation of risk”, something that women constantly experience.
ThinkCity’s study in 2021 on women’s safety in Downtown Kuala Lumpur exemplifies this experience. The study showed that 27 per cent of women feel unsafe in public spaces while only 9 per cent of men feel the same way. This huge difference tells you in part the privilege that comes with being born a certain sex. On a relevant note, the study also showed that women feel unsafe taking public transport at night, and would opt to take Grab home. Taking an e-hailing home isn’t that safe either (see the number of media reports on this problem), but to these women interviewed, it feels like the far safer option.
This is why the government announced the dedicated women’s coach initiative, I was personally relieved. Having experienced sexual harassment multiple times throughout my life, and a few times on public transport (such as being filmed without consent, being followed and experiencing unwanted touch), I appreciated this initiative. Yes, I understand that there is a capacity problem. But why are women being attacked for this? Why is the government not being held accountable for increasing coaches and therefore, capacity? Advocates of the anti-women coach initiative call this the wrong solution to the right problem. I say they are also engaging in attacking the wrong people for the wrong solution.
As a woman, I want to ask the goodwill of many to also understand that women, too, are public transport users. The unsafe feeling we experience is a very real thing, and that we are grateful that the government has recognised this very real problem. Is it the perfect solution? No. But is it a step in the right direction? Yes. Men may not be able to fully appreciate or understand how we feel. Some women, too, may not feel the same way and feel perfectly safe with public transport. For those that do, good for them. But please do not discount the many others among us who experience feeling unsafe. Please don’t invalidate how we feel just because you don’t experience it.
If you’re that angry about a dedicated women’s coach. Just one among many other coaches available for men, maybe it is worth deeply reflecting why. Why are we threatened by an initiative meant to protect women?
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
