A new service, called STOPIT, is set to allow people subjected to unwanted sexual behaviour or who witness it to discreetly text police using their mobile phone.
They then receive a link to provide information to a dedicated team of transit police about what’s happened, with a similar service in the UK that has operated for several years and been credited with empowering victims and bystanders to come forward.
STOPIT has been in development since 2019 to help combat sexual offending on public transport and give commuters greater confidence when they travel.
Transit and Public Safety Command Assistant Commissioner Dean McWhirter said this is a significant initiative for Victoria Police.
“I am incredibly proud of everyone who has dedicated years to this Australian-first service, it’s a demonstration of our commitment to ensure unwanted sexual behaviour on public transport is called out for what it is – and that’s completely unacceptable,” he said.
“STOPIT will give police a better understanding of exactly what’s occurring and most importantly boost our ability to identify perpetrators and hold them to account.”
By texting ‘STOPIT’ to 0499 455 455, six types of behaviours can be reported comprising unwanted sexual behaviour, suspicious behaviour, threatening and offensive behaviour, obscene and racist language, drug and alcohol-related incidents and graffiti and property damage.
Users are directed to a digital form and asked to submit details of the incident including the time, date, location and public transport carriage number and a photo may also be submitted if it is safe to capture one.
“Most incidents of unwanted sexual behaviour on public transport go unreported and we are determined to change that,” Victoria Police Superintendent Alison Boyes said.
“We have a very high rate of identifying offenders for reported incidents so by telling us, we can do something about it.”
Information from notifications will be used to help police identify and hold perpetrators to account and will also help Victoria Police determine where to deploy members and tackle recidivist offending.
Anyone requiring an immediate police response in an emergency is still advised to phone Triple Zero (000), STOPIT is not monitored live and should not be used if an urgent response is required.
“Years of research and dedication has gone into creating this service to ensure it’s accessible to anyone, anytime,” said Superintendent Boyes.
“Any situation which makes someone feel unsafe or uncomfortable is not OK. We want to hear about people’s experiences so we can help make the network a safe place for everyone.”
Research completed for Victoria Police has shown people who are subjected to unwanted sexual behaviour or witness it often don’t report it at the time out of safety concerns or because they don’t know how to make a complaint. There can also be confusion about whether unwelcome behaviour is a criminal offence, but Victoria Police stresses it wants to hear about any behaviour which makes a person feel uncomfortable, frightened or threatened.
STOPIT is now available on trains and will be extended to trams and buses in late August while the service is also available in 13 languages.
