Fearful girls avoiding public transport

A NEW SURVEY BY GIRLGUIDING HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE SAFETY FEARS AND MISOGYNY STILL BEING FACED BY YOUNG WOMEN

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ALMOST a third of girls and young women have avoided taking public transport alone out of fear for their safety, a major survey has found, with more than half reporting feeling unsafe when travelling on their own.

The latest Girls' Attitudes Survey from Girlguiding found that 56 per cent of girls and young women aged between 11 and 21 said they feel unsafe taking public transport by themselves, up from 45 per cent in 2022, while 31 per cent said they have avoided it altogether.

The research revealed that disabled girls particularly felt unsafe travelling, with only 17 per cent saying they felt secure on public transport compared to almost double that percentage of non-disabled girls (33 per cent).

Most girls (86 per cent) said they have avoided going out when it is dark to stay safe, with girls of colour more likely not to step out, while almost half (48 per cent) said they never head out in the dark.

The latest annual survey, supported by players of People's Postcode Lottery, also found 68 per cent change their everyday behaviour to avoid being sexually harassed.