• Unions advise conductors to be vigilant

Private Bus trade unions yesterday (19) called for reducing the number of passengers loaded into buses in order to prevent sexual harassment in buses amidst reports of the same due to congestion.

“While sexual harassment in buses has always been prevalent, congestion has increased the incidents of it happening,” Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) Chairperson Gemunu Wijeratne noted. “Therefore, we advise conductors not to pack buses as it makes it easier for perpetrators to take advantage of the situation,” he said.

These comments follow findings by the United Nations Population Fund which claims that approximately 90% of women have experienced sexual harassment on buses.

“Sometimes, conductors think about maximising their profit and they fill people into buses, leading to many men targeting women and girls,” Wijeratne said. “It may be because they feel that they will not be caught.” Wijeratne also advised conductors to be vigilant if a bus is congested.

In February, the Government introduced a programme to assign undercover Police officers in civilian clothing in order to tackle men who engage in sexual harassment, leading to several arrests. The Police prioritised peak hours where buses are likely to be congested and it was also reported that special attention was paid to streets, bus stops and railway stations.

The Police has also introduced a 24-hour hotline to report the harassment of women and children.