Every woman experiences some form of sexual assault in her lifetime. And 87% of women who experience sexual assault on public transport report that bystanders did not react. Fighting gender-based and sexual violence is one of the Railway Security Division’s priority assignments. Read on to learn what its agents are doing about it.

Figures from the French Interior Ministry tell us that two in three passengers on public transport in France are women¹. Every day, whether they’re in stations, trains or any kind of public transport, women can be subjected to sexist and sexual abuse, all of which is prohibited and punished by law: sexist insult, sexual harassment, sexual assault, exhibitionism and voyeurism.

Ever since 2018, when France introduced the Schiappa Law, gender-based offences have been fined. This law notably considers harassment in public transport an aggravating circumstance punishable with a heavier fine of up to €1,500.

The Schiappa Law specifically introduced in France, in 2018, a minor offence for sexist insult on public transport. And since April 1^rst, 2023, sexist insult on public transport, is deemed an aggravated sexual insult, is considered an offence and is punishable by a €3,750-fine, which may be combined with additional penalties such as a work placement or community service. As for sexual harassment, it is punishable by 2 years‘ imprisonment and a €30,000-fine, and years’ imprisonment and a €45,000-fine if it was committed by several people acting as perpetrator or accomplice.

As France’s leading public transporter, SNCF considers this a societal issue that concerns everyone—both women and men. The reality is that most victims are women under thirty, and many are underage girls. However, a slight increase in the number of reports of assaults on underage boys has been noted. Protecting them, and all passengers, is central to the public service mission of the Railway Security.

Various devices have been introduced to make it easier for victims to report incidents. They can dial the emergency number 3117, send an SMS to 3117 7, or use our 3117 app. In the Paris region, there are also emergency call boxes on station platforms. All calls from users and reports from SNCF staff are centralised and dealt with by the National Railway Security Command Post, which can deploy Railway Security teams or request the intervention of the police or the national police force on the premises. Train stations and some trains are equipped with video surveillance systems (footage may be stored for 72 hours). These cameras on SNCF properties provide crucial information for police enquiries, as investigators can requisition footage to identify culprits. In addition, a partnership with the ‘UMAY’ app means that ‘Safe Places’ can be offered inside shops in certain stations and nearby public spaces, where people can take refuge in the event of harassment or if feeling unsafe.

2,800 on-the-ground agents working for SNCF Railway Security are present across France and they pay special attention to the peace and quiet of passengers in stations and on board trains. They are all trained, sworn, certified, and armed. Railway Security agents’ assignments are governed by the French Transport Code. They ensure the safety of goods and people, and protect SNCF staff and assets. What is more, the French Transport Code clearly states that “preventing gender-based assaults is one of their main purposes.”

If passengers feel unsafe or threatened, they should immediately contact SNCF Railway Security agents. Their teams have received criminal and regulatory training, as well as guidance on how to take care of victims of gender-based or sexual assaults. This is the ‘PRECO’ method, which stands in French for ‘Protéger’ that is protecting, ‘Rassurer’ that is reassuring, ‘Ecouter’ that is listening, ‘Collationner’ that is gathering information from the victim, ‘Orienter’ that is helping the victim file a complaint where possible. Protecting the victim is the priority. This guidance rounds out their training, equipping them to interact with perpetrators, victims and possibly nearby users. It is specifically adapted to the working environment of the Railway Security agents who are often involved in complex situations.

Sexual assault victims sometimes react in unexpected ways, and SNCF Railway Security  agents need to understand and accept that. For example, occasionally women will deny they’ve been assaulted and walk away, even though our Railway Security agents witnessed the incident. If the staff are not trained to understand the mindset of a sexual assault victim, this behaviour can be perplexing. They are unable to comprehend the signs showing shock, dissociation and guilt, and therefore cannot establish a relationship of trust with the victim.

When Railway Security agents witness or are informed about a gender-based assault, they confront the aggressor and file a report. There is no such thing as a ‘small offence’, from sexist offences to the most serious sexual offences and crimes, the agents intervene, take care of the victim and arrest the perpetrator, if this person is still on the premises, within the legal framework of their mission. Railway Security agents never leave a victim in the presence of the perpetrator. Under French law, they can forbid access to trains and order aggressors to get the train or get off our property. So, in the event of a sexist insult, staff will ask the offender to leave the railway premises. If the incident involves sexual harassment, sexual assault, exhibitionism or voyeurism, the perpetrator is transferred to the police or national police force and the victim is dealt with separately. The agents are also there to provide the victim guidance and support in the next steps to be taken (filing a complaint, etc.).

Railway Security agents engage on a daily basis with women travelling alone on the train or in stations. During these conversations, they explain their actions and clarify what legally constitutes an offence. They highlight, for example, that wolf-whistling is a gender-based assault, and that if it happens on public transport, it is considered an aggravating circumstance under the law. Additionally, the staff reminds passengers to use the 3117 emergency number and encourages them to visit the French government’s website arrêtonslesviolences.gouv.fr² to learn more.

Educating passengers is crucial and that’s precisely why annual initiatives are organized with SNCF Transilien and TER staff on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Flyers and posters are used in stations and on trains to explain what constitutes a sexual or gender-based assault; that it is forbidden and punishable by law, with specific penalties. Agents also inform people about the 3117 emergency number, which is still relatively unknown, by giving out cards. They actively combat gender-based and sexual assaults, and stress that it is important for victims and bystanders to report these incidents. In 2024, Railway Security agents were present, on 25 November, in 75 stations across France to explain all this to passengers.