Text Service Allows Reporting of Public Transport Assaults in Victoria

A woman using the name Hannah reported a sexual assault that occurred on a Melbourne tram after she switched from a train to avoid a man acting erratically. She said the man followed her onto the tram and grabbed her from behind. Hannah stated that no one on the tram intervened during the incident.

She said she would not have gone to a police station to report the event but found the text option less confronting.

How the Service Works The reporting process begins when a commuter texts STOPIT to 0499 455 455. A link to an online form is then sent, allowing the user to file a report. Police data show that 60 per cent of reports come from victims and 40 per cent from bystanders. Trains account for 67 per cent of reports, trams for 22 per cent, and buses for 11 per cent.

The service launched in 2022 after research following the 2019 murder of international student Aiia Maasarwe near a tram stop. More than 7000 reports have been received, 15 per cent of which involved unwanted sexual behaviour. Police have conducted more than 500 investigations and charged 77 people, including the man who assaulted Hannah.

He received a three-month prison sentence for sexual assault, sexual exposure, and upskirting. A renewed campaign promoting the service began this month. Officials said the reports help direct resources and inform decisions such as increasing the number of protective services officers on the network.

A Monash University professor said the text service does not provide a live response and called for gender-informed training, improved lighting, and design input from gender experts. One year after the assault, Hannah said she stopped using public transport for three months and remains vigilant when riding.