December 13, 2023
Survey developed by Mineta Transportation Institute comes after Stop AAPI Hate successfully advocated for two state laws mandating 10 largest public transit agencies in California take steps to understand how harassment impacts riders.
NATIONWIDE: Stop AAPI Hate released the following statement in response to today’s unveiling of the Mineta Transportation Institute’s transit safety survey and accompanying study. The survey is a direct result of SB 1161, which the Stop AAPI Hate coalition sponsored and successfully advocated for in the 2022 legislative cycle. SB 1161 required the Mineta Transportation Institute to create a survey instrument for transit agencies to capture rider experiences with harassment, including when, where, and how often it happens, and Stop AAPI Hate translated the survey into 14 AAPI languages. The coalition continued the legislative success of SB 1161 with SB 434, which was signed into law this year and requires California’s 10 largest transit agencies to collect and publish rider survey data to inform the development and implementation of solutions to harassment on their vehicles and at their transit stops.
The quote can be attributed to Annie Lee, Managing Director of Policy for Stop AAPI Hate and Chinese for Affirmative Action:
“The creation of this new transit safety survey marks an important milestone in our effort to tackle harassment in public spaces — an issue that disproportionately harms women and girls, people of color, LGBTQ+ communities, and people with disabilities. While harassment on public transit is a pervasive issue, there is very limited data on how riders experience it, and existing solutions are too narrowly reliant on the criminal legal system. As a result, there’s a lack of preventative, community-driven solutions to stop harassment on public transit before it happens. The Mineta Transportation Institute’s survey can now be used by transit agencies in California and beyond to better understand the scope and impact of harassment — and ultimately develop effective, data-driven solutions.
“The survey also represents a first-of-its kind approach that is centered on giving power back to riders. We’re creating an avenue for riders to take action and be heard when they experience or witness harassment, and their voices will directly inform solutions that ensure public transit is no longer a place where hate and harassment are allowed to thrive. We look forward to working with transit agencies to roll out the survey across California, and we hope this approach can serve as a model for other states, cities, and counties across the U.S. to adopt.”
For more information about the survey, read the Mineta Transportation Institute’s press release and their latest study, which provides details about the survey approach.
