Towards gender equity in public transportation: Empirical evidence of sexual harassment in the Hanoi bus, Vietnam

Sexual harassment in public transport is one of a typical gender-based issue that causes the fear for female passengers. In response to this matter, they can quit public transport, leading to the deterioration of gender inequalities and the reduction in ridership. Therefore, the identification of the status of sexual harassment for female users is of interest for both researchers and policy-makers. This study investigates the sexual harassment among female students using the bus services in Hanoi. The students are chosen because they are the main passenger segment and frequently as the victims of sexual harassment while Hanoi has the best bus-based public transport system with over 150 subsidized routes. The finding suggests that the prevalence of SH is high at nearly 40%. Female students have relatively sufficient knowledge on the sexual harassment problem. However, they tend to passively react to this illegal behavior instead of reporting it, even some of which cannot develop extensive avoidance behavior. They also hope there are more protection from the bus providers and the police. When the bus Hanoi is facing the decline in ridership, adopting solutions to address the sexual harassment challenge is essential, at least for retaining and attracting (more) female passengers.