Thousands Sign Petition For London To Bring Back The Night Tube To Protect Women
Published
A petition calling for London to reinstate the night tube during the winter months has attracted more than 120,000 signatures.
Following the brutal murders of Sabina Nessa and Sarah Everard, people in the English capital want more measures that will keep them safe when they're out in public.
Ella Watson believes having a night service on the London Underground will allow people, namely women, to get from A to B safely after the sun goes down.
She started a petition on Change.org, where she argues that many women in London worry they'll be attacked when they're walking on the streets at night.
Ella also highlighted the statistic that 70 per cent 'of women in the UK have experienced sexual harassment in public' as a big reason why the night time tube would be beneficial.
"The decision taken by [Transport for London] to keep the night tube closed over the winter of 2021/2022 will have a disproportionate impact on women and low-income groups, with women forced to take expensive taxis home during the busy festive season as a result of being unsafe in public," she argued.
"Yet taxis themselves pose a risk to women, with 235 allegations of rape or sexual assault against London taxi / private hire drivers over a 12 month period during 2019 (which is equivalent to one assault every 2 days).
"Any sexual assault is one too many.
"Urgently more political will and political action is needed to dismantle misogyny, in order to tackle the root causes of violence against women in the UK."
She said the tube is a well-lit, well-connected system that has CCTV cameras dotted in all the right places. While it's not a foolproof system, it's a lot better than strolling through a dimly-lit park.
Ms Watson said there also needs to be greater 'cultural and behavioral change' in the broader British society that will help eliminate this fear that women experience when they're walking home.
She added that London needs to ensure there is proper infrastructure available in public when there's such little sunlight in winter.
"Physical changes to the environment such as street lights and safer transport should not be seen as a solution, serving as a bandaid to the problem of violence against women, yet arguably they can help make a significant difference, especially during the winter months," she said.
"The reopening of the night economy after lockdown without this infrastructure is a disservice to women's safety."
Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: News
