Women's taxis for Hamburg: A call for more safety in traffic!

Women's taxis for Hamburg: A call for more safety in traffic!

The safety of women in public spaces is an issue that is becoming increasingly important. In Hamburg, for example, there is currently no special offer such as women's taxis, which the SPD-Eimsbüttel has already put on the agenda in 2023. Unfortunately the application was unsuccessful. However, similar models in other cities, such as Munich, Bremen and Hanover, show that there is a need. Women in Bremen benefit from a 20 percent discount on taxi rides between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m., while in Munich you can use a voucher for 10 euros. As a result, the offer in Munich had to be temporarily suspended due to the high demand, as there were not enough funds to cover the high demand. These developments prove that women-friendliness in transport should no longer be a foreign concept.

A pilot project was also proposed in Hamburg, but it failed due to the authority for transport and mobility transition. This saw it as implausible to carry out an isolated project just for the Eimsbüttel district. Alternative offers such as the HVV optional exit offer passengers the opportunity to get off the bus at certain stops from 9 p.m., but this model does not come without restrictions. Important stops such as the main train station or the Landungsbrücken are not part of this offer, which raises questions about how safe women can actually feel in the Hanseatic city.

Sexual Assault and Safety Concerns

A look at the nationwide statistics shows that women's safety concerns are not unfounded. According to a 2019 survey by the Delta Institute, 68% of women between the ages of 16 and 24 surveyed reported sexist attacks. What's particularly alarming is that 36% of these women report experiencing such attacks more than once a month. According to statistics, men are more likely to be perpetrators than victims, and while many proposals are made to combat the problem, the discourse surrounding men's behavior and mindset often remains inadequate.

A bouncer in Düsseldorf emphasizes that it's not about specific types, but about a general understanding of respectful behavior. The number of unreported cases of sexual assault is significant. Estimates from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) indicate that only around 1% of attacks are reported. This makes it clear that many women find themselves in a vulnerable position, often in familiar environments that they would not consider dangerous.

Public transport and the feeling of security

The study on the feeling of safety in Munich public transport brings further findings to light: During the day, over 95% of young respondents feel safe, but at night this value drops dramatically to 54%. In particular, 75% of women avoid public transport at night. More than 50% of women have already developed strategies to increase their feeling of safety on transport. These figures make it clear that there is a lack of fundamental change in the public transport system to make female passengers in particular feel safe.

Overall satisfaction with the mobility offering in Munich is quite high at 77.8%, but the difference between the genders is also clear here. When planning offers, the special needs of women are often neglected to be taken into account. This is exactly where we need to start. In Hamburg, the introduction of women's taxis could be a first step to strengthen women's sense of security. The experiences from other cities should serve as a model and also be implemented in the Hanseatic city.