Getting in to a BMTC bus is a risk that we take everyday – neither the driver/conductor, co-passengers nor the police seem to think that women are entitled to a harassment-free ride in a bus.

Two out of three women who travel in BMTC buses face regular violence from co-passengers, conductors and drivers. In a survey conducted in 2012-13 of 2,647 women in Bangalore, 1,803 cases of harassment in buses were reported i.e., 69% of the women reported being sexually harassed in buses in the following ways – use of vulgar language, staring pointedly, physical attacks such as touching, feeling; grabbing; indecently exposing; stalking; photographing or shooting videos without consent.

Alarming as the figures are, they are not the whole truth. For every woman who spoke out, there are many who cannot or will not speak of harassment due to fear of reprisals or attracting blame.

This petition aims to give a voice to every woman who has ever been sexually harassed on a BMTC bus and move the BMTC to take action to put an end to this violence.