‘You can’t trust anybody to step in’

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This article was published 08/07/2023 (869 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Taylor Adams knows when she steps onto a Winnipeg Transit bus, her safety is not guaranteed.

“I’ve seen a lot of really scary stuff go on, on the transit bus. Especially with women,” she said, waiting for a bus near Graham Avenue and Fort Street on Saturday.

“I’ve been groped multiple times. Men will grab at your clothes to get you to sit come with them, or sit right next to you so you’re enclosed against the side window and you can’t move.”

Adams, 22, uses the service daily, often traveling through the downtown area. She has witnessed drug overdoses, violence and sexual assaults. The experiences have shaken her faith in public transit, she said.

“Nobody seems to want to say anything or do anything. You can’t trust anybody to step in,” she said.

Work is underway to improve transit safety, including plans to deploy a new security unit capable of detaining unruly passengers.

The cavalry can’t come fast enough, said Chris Scott, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505.

Data from the union shows that Winnipeg is on track to log another record-breaking year of violence on city busses, with 186 incidents recorded as of June 30.

Of those, 75 were assaults committed against transit staff.

Last year, the union reported 138 assaults against members — the highest in its recorded history.

“We need (security) now; we needed it yesterday,” the union leader said.

The City of Winnipeg began accepting applications for the new security unit’s team leader last month, seeking someone capable of recruiting staff and developing their training.

The job posting closed Friday.

Earlier this week, a city spokesperson said updates about potential candidates were not available.

While the city hurries to hire, train and deploy the new security force, riders continue to become victims.

Winnipeg Police Service issued a release Saturday on an incident dating back to last October.

Police said a 23-year-old woman was riding a transit bus near Portage Place when an unknown man sat beside her and allegedly touched her in a sexual manner. The victim told police she recognized the same suspect from a similar incident that occurred in August of that year, police said.

The suspect is described as a black male in his mid- to late- 50s, approximately six feet tall, with a heavy build, moustache and balding hair. He may wear prescription sunglasses.

Wednesday, police issued a public plea for help in identifying a suspect who allegedly sexually assaulted a 19-year-old woman in June.

The victim was riding a bus in the St. Vital area on June 17 when a man she didn’t know sat beside her and touched her in an inappropriate sexual manner, police said.

The suspect is described as a white male in his 40s with short, grey hair and an average build.

“My heart is heavy, whether it’s one of my members being assaulted or a member of the public,” Scott said of the recently announced incidents. “We don’t want to have a police state on the transit service, but we need to have the resources to keep people safe.”

The rise in violence mirrors a disturbing trend afflicting transit services across Canada.

In April, the Canadian Urban Transit Association urged all levels of government to intervene, asking them to further invest in safety measures and social supports in an effort to improve transit safety.

The association also released a list of recommendations, including a plea for the federal government to amend the criminal code and create stiffer penalties for people who commit violence against transit workers.

“Violence has absolutely no place on Canada’s public transit systems,” association president Marco D’Angelo said at the time. “There is no single solution to address the complex issue of violence on public transit, so we need to bring together experts and advocates from different fields to work collaboratively.”

Scott agrees with the association’s call for government intervention, describing transit services across the country as “horribly underfunded.”

He commended the city for committing $5 million toward creating the transit security unit, but said more needs to be done.

“The big question is what happens after this year?” he said. “There has been no commitment from the city, province or federal government to continue this funding. We need to see somebody commit funding to this to keep the transit service safe.”

Scott is optimistic that at least some security officers could be riding busses by September, he said.

Mayor Scott Gillingham previously said he expects units to be ready closer to the end of the year.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca

CUTA: Prioritizing Safety on Public Transit