A German rail operator is introducing woman-only carriages. Is this progressive or depressing?

By Barbara Speed


Soon to be segregated. Clic17 at Wikimedia Commons.

Germany just became the first western European country this century to introduce women-only carriages on a part of its public transport network.

There's a lot to unpick here, but let's start with the basics. The Mitteldeutsche Regiobahn, a privately-owned German train line running between Leipzig and Chemnitz, announced this week that it will introduce two women-only carriage on trains running on this line. Boys under the age of 10 will also be allowed in, and the carriage will be located next to the conductor's office.

Publications were quick to leap on the fact that Cologne – the city where around 1,000 men gathered outside the train station to harass women on New Year's Eve – is also in Germany. Yet the train line has denied that the move has anything to do with the attacks, or the fact that the only man charged was charged just days before the announcement.

In fact, Mitteldeutsche Regiobahn hasn't said much at all about its decision to introduce the carriages, beyond denying that the Cologne attacks affected it. I approached a spokesperson, who said that the move was in response to customer requests:

The women compartments are train compartments especially for alone travelling women... We implemented those compartments on customer's request. It is our first priority that our customers feel comfortable and safe at any time during their travel experience with us.
Separate but equal?

Segregated transport is used around the world (in India, Russia, Mexico, and Japan) to reduce the risk of sexual harassment. Transport is, unfortunately, a very common site for harassment around the world, as a recent Reuters report revealed. Researchers found that in Bogota, the city ranked most dangerous, 82 per cent of women did not feel safe on public transport.

Yet the "solution" of segregated carriages is a pragmatic, not idealistic, one. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was slammed when he implied that we could consider something similar in the UK, but his comments were actually based on consultations with groups of women, who admitted that they would feel safer in their own carriage, at times.

On a practical level, a major objection to segregated carriages on metro systems it that they could actually attract sexual predators, especially at night when trains are emptier. The German scheme has a fix for this in the form of the carriage's positioning near onboard staff. There's a strong argument that staffing trains and tubes better might solve the problem such that separate carriages aren't needed in the first place.

Yet wherever their location, segregated carriages still fall into the same trap as the advice handed out to women by the mayor of Cologne shortly after the New Year's attacks: it asks women to modify their behaviour, as opposed to tackling harassment at its source. Perhaps it's a necessary step, for now – but it won't make transport safer in any real sense.

http://www.citymetric.com/transport/german-rail-operator-introducing-woman-only-carriages-progressive-or-depressing-1956/

This is the same psychological manipulation tactic politicians tried to use after all the New Years Eve attacks across Europe.

" Cover up", " Don't travel alone",
"It is for you own good & safety ".. Blah Blah Bullsh@t !!!

Why don't they just have the gonads to say it? Damn Cowards !


Hello Sharia !

stop disarming the Citizens!

Germany just became the first western European country this century to introduce women-only carriages on a part of its public transport network.

.,,the FIRST western European country...

Translation: 'We already sanctioned or implemented it, so just accept it'.

Damn if I had a dollar for every time I have read or heard 'the FIRST' from Liberal media (Europe, US & Canada) in the pass year, I would be rich. But I would rather.. Never read it all.

What is next ladies?

Separate classes (like parts of Africa & Middle East)?
Cover your hair?
Don't go out after dusk?
Don't go out unescorted?
Don't use birth control or have an abortion?
Don't buy or use Tampax without a doctor's or your husband's written consent?
Don't drive?
Don't vote?
Don't go to school after age 15?
Don't speak (your mother tongue)?

Aacchh!!!!

rant over...I think..

I believe the intent is good, but it opens a pandoras box,,,,

I believe modified cautious behavior AND better protective staffing combined, are a better option

I believe the intent is good, but it opens a pandoras box,,,,

The intent is cowardice & a@s k@ssing & fear of being called names.
But yes..one door opens another & women & children loose.
So will men if something is done soon. It is not like women are going to respect their men or government.
-------------

I believe modified cautious behavior AND better protective staffing combined, are a better option

European women shouldn't HAVE to modify anything. It is THEIR country & culture. Women shouldn't loose any rights or privileges because criminals moved in.
As far as 'staffing ' as you call it. Yes, lots more police, (there aren't enough for the population now or the crime wave) & weapons & let the newbee bullies scream racial or religious discrimination or police brutality until they are incarcerated, shipped out or dead or assimilate (like that will happen.. )

As far as 'protective' as you call it. The rest of the world calls that... Guns & protecting yourself, your family & property & country.



*Deja vu on this conversation (after the organized rape of Europe spree on New Years Eve *

I don't see the evidence that guns made that country safer, in fact the opposite

as to the rest, crime has always happened, and caution working alongside protective services has been the answer

Hhhaaa.. Trying to spin ?
It is LESS safe now, without the guns & migrant invasion.

The rest doesn't make any sense.

safer how?

why is it then that their country is far behind ours in just about every crime metric?

guns are not the answer anytime crime happens,,

they are the reaction of emotionalism and not logic

LOGIC considers proactive measures as well as reactive

why is it then that their country is far behind ours in just about every crime metric?

It is still dark in that closet of yours.
----------
guns are not the answer anytime crime happens,,

they are the reaction of emotionalism and not logic

LOGIC considers proactive measures as well as reactive
--------------
Protecting oneself is human & rational & logical & proactive. And so is NOT letting your country be overrun by barbarians.

If you don't believe Europe has exhausted itself in every humanitarian way possible & given all they could, including blood, sweat & tears.. then make a thread....

#MigrantsLivesMatterMoreThanYours

And good luck with that

I just find things like this funny.

"All you black people, get to the back of the bus because you are lesser beings."
"All you women, get to the back of the train because, uh, we want to make you safe, it's for your own good."

"I'm beating you because I love you too much sometimes!"
"I'm beating you because you need to learn, it's for your own good!"

Segregation good!
Segregation bad!
Segregation necessary!

How do we make people get along?!
Desegregate them! Unity and love for all!
Oh crap, that's creating problems, especially when we force it.
Hmmm, well, completely unrelated to that...let's segregate them until
we can get them to get along with desegregation!
Brilliant!


Who knows.
Could be because it's pretty homogeneous racially speaking.
Could be because there are far more police per capita.
Could be because they develop their statistics differently.
Could be because they are 1/4th the size in population.
Could be because many of the surrounding countries are far more conducive to criminal enterprise.
Could be because of fewer laws defining behavior as criminal.
Could be because they have a far more aged population.
Could be because of the minimum age of criminal prosecution.
Could be lots of things.
Comparing international crime metrics isn't all that meaningful or helpful to anything.


That's not really saying much.
Seems little different than saying "electrocution is a better option to drowning."
Is there any guarantee "protective staffing" aren't sexual predators?
You know how often cops are accused and charged with raping people? It's not uncommon.

"Better protective staffing" is just saying "be dependent on the altruistic motives of strangers that work on the subway, who really have no more power over anything than you do."

Modified cautious behavior AND self protection "should" be what most people rely upon.


Guns represent a means for an individual to protect themselves.
Doesn't require years of training to receive a colored belt.
Knowing karate won't protect you from someone with a gun, or a knife.
Having a taser or pepper spray won't protect you from someone with a gun.
Guns are an equalizer to the unknown in protecting yourself.


People aren't ruled by logic.
If they were, this situation wouldn't exist.
The situation of immigrants, the situation of safety, the situation of segregated train cars, the situation of dating site forums.
None of it.
Logic doesn't really matter except for those that live in an "ivory tower" or science labs where reality isn't allowed inside except under highly controlled conditions.

nothing is absolute CIRETOM

but the discussion is about potential solutions, starting SOMEWHERE


what is your suggestion?

I am opposed to all of the recent efforts here and elsewhere, to shuffle off the duties of government, to the general citizenry.

It's all part of trying to reduce the cost of government through the most thoughtless and immediate ways possible.

The correct way to deal with an increase of criminal behavior of the citizenry (and immigrants etc) is to increase on site police protection.

Simply decreasing restrictions on personal arms, and encouraging citizens to decide for themselves, with no training or preparation whatsoever to enforce whatever laws they imagine exist, is straight up stupidity.

And self-righteous posturing about "rights" to cover up the fact that this is really just about keeping low taxes on the people in power, is dishonorable.

that's an interesting suggestion , Igor

do you have any insight into how increased police presence affects criminal offense rates?

I am going to look it up but it would be quicker if you could contribute that to the discussion

Bullsh@t

Easier to try to heard women like cattle in a train car than dealing with Muslim men migrants who complain about sitting with (any) women or blame (what they perceive as infidel) women because they have no self control over their urges & do NOT believe that they have to.

How about we put all Muslims migrants with a penis in separate cars? No...you say? Discrimination you say?

Wouldn't that solve the problem of money & police ...like you want US to believe?

What do you think this is to women?

I missed you msharmony.After all this a an issue for people who's ovaries did NOT drop outside their body with there brains & reality!

If police were assigned to every person so there was always a police presence your theory would work. Crime for the most part doesn't occur in the presence of police. Most crime that police deal with is after the fact. How many rapes are stopped by police? How many home invasions are stopped by police? Even in areas with KNOWN gang activity, with a heavy police presence, are gang shootings stopped?

Protection, be it from violence, robbery, cyber attacks or any other threat is more effective when personal protection is employed.

Suggesting that that people shouldn't use whatever means necessary to protect themselves is what is straight up stupidity.

I don't think we can have too many options when it comes to safety

better trained personnel seems to be an excellent option

as well as citizens who take precautions that don't have to only be in the form of having a gun,, but also taking proactive actions to avoid certain situations

its always interesting to hear different perspectives


as a rape survivor,,,hopefully, mine is just as interesting

It is all yours