Malta Public Transport has encouraged any commuter who has experienced or witnessed sexual assault on buses to come forward to help crack down on cases after hundreds of people shared their stories of sexual harassment with Lovin Malta.

“The safety of our passengers is our top priority. We strongly believe that all passengers have the right to travel safely,” a spokesperson told this newsroom.

MPT asked all people who encounter any unwanted sexual advances or attacks to come forward and report these incidents to the company and to authorities.

“We know that this takes a lot of courage, and it is not always easy to do. We would like to offer our assurance that these cases are treated in the strictest confidence and are given immediate attention,” the spokesperson continued.

It also reminded passengers that all buses are equipped with a CCTV system and footage is always passed on to authorities who request them for investigations.

The company also has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to any sort of sexual assault by employees.

Commuting by bus, taxi or on foot is a common denominator for sexual assault on the island, Lovin Malta’s investigation showed. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of victims chose not to report the incident, because they feel it doesn’t merit a report, in fear of retaliation or shame, don’t know how to even because they didn’t know they were sexually assaulted. 

This was found as part of Lovin Malta’s on-going series to give a voice to victims of sexual assault, empower them to break their silence and kick-start action.

If you have suffered sexual assault, whether it was recently or not, and would like free professional emotional support or legal assistance, get in touch with Victim Support Malta on + 356 2122 8333 or send an email on [email protected].

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