To report harassment on Muni call 311 or fill out the Muni Feedback form. Your report helps the SFMTA reduce and prevent harassment. For emergency services call 911.
All Muni users, SFMTA employees, San Franciscans and visitors to our world-class city deserve public transit that prioritizes safety and security. Safety and security are the first standard measure of Muni system reliability, system performance, staffing performance and customer service. The SFMTA is committed to prioritizing security for people using our transit system, including combatting harassment and empowering Muni customers and workers.
Focus on Harassment
Harassment is one of the most expansive and persistent personal security issues people face on transit systems, impacting people of all genders, ages, abilities, races and ethnicities, cultural and language groups. Often, harassment disproportionately impacts certain communities like women, girls and gender-expansive people, non-English speakers, and people of color.
While incidents on Muni can occur in various forms, they often go unreported. These incidents include inappropriate, unwanted contact, gestures or comments, staring, groping, indecent exposure, abuse and violence of a sexual or nonsexual nature. Some of these incidents may also be criminal acts. All are unacceptable, and we have a duty to work to end these behaviors.
Studies by LA Metro, New York University, San Jose State University and many others acknowledge that:
- Transportation is the second most common place where harassment occurs
- Reliable data is lacking making it difficult to respond to this persistent problem
We aim to educate and empower Muni riders to help us address harassment and build community partnerships to better understand riders' experiences and develop solutions together.
Program Goals
The aim of the Safety Equity Initiative is to create a safer environment for all Muni riders and SFMTA staff, and support SFMTA’s mission of providing excellent transit and mobility service.
How we plan to accomplish this:
- Use ongoing research, studies, and data collection to understand existing and evolving needs
- Work directly with SFMTA staff and members of the public to identify specific safety and security challenges and appropriate solutions
- Lead inclusive, accessible, multilingual and culturally competent public outreach and engagement
- Educate and empower SFMTA staff and Muni riders
Program Outcomes
- Improve mechanisms for reporting different forms of harassment
- Establish ongoing data gathering systems and processes and build capacity to monitor, evaluate and support ongoing security interventions
- Identify factors that contribute to personal safety while using Muni
- Engage with diverse community to help us build strategies to prevent harassment and improve safety
- Develop community-centered resources and campaigns to build public awareness and help reduce harassment
- Develop policies, capital investment priorities, and security strategies to address harassment
Commitment to the Community
The SFMTA acknowledges the historic lack of investment and systematic inequities in transit systems. We recognize the need to do better and seek to repair past harms by uplifting communities throughout the development, implementation and evolution of the Safety Equity Initiative and related efforts.
We aim to lead with Muni values:
- Model respect: Value community members’ time and lived experiences that they choose to share with us, especially those not often heard in traditional decision-making venues
- Uphold accountability: Establish measures of success and tell the public how we’re doing.
- Normalize transparency: Listen to the community, document and share what we learn and how this informs our decision-making.
- Instill trust: Deliver actions that reflect community priorities.