Columbia’s urban campus often serves as the first introduction many students have to public transportation. Some students come from other cities on the east or west coast with their own public transportations systems, but many of the college’s community members experience metropolitan public transportation for the first time when they move to Chicago. 

Experiences are at times entertaining or humorous navigating the Chicago Transit Authority’s trains and buses—when witnessing subway performers play their instruments with unrivaled flair or watching drunk Cubs fans stumble onto the train—but can turn uncomfortable or dangerous when harassment rears its head. 

As reported in the Front Page story, the CTA announced on Oct. 9 that it would expand on its 2009 “If you see something, say something” initiative with a new, more specific campaign: “If it’s unwanted, it’s harassment.”

The initial 2009 campaign was well-meaning, but the new version acknowledges the need to address the various forms of harassment that often take place on the CTA’s trains and buses.

The previous campaign encouraged CTA riders to speak up if they thought another passenger was up to something suspicious or dangerous, but it neglected to straightforwardly address the common problems of sexual harassment or physical and sexual assault that frequently occur on the vehicles. 

The signage for the CTA’s new anti-harassment campaign includes posters that say things like, “It’s not OK,” “It’s not nothing” and “We’re all watching,” in bolded, capitalized lettering that makes it clear the CTA will not tolerate any instances of harassment and that passengers should not tolerate it, either.

Some of the signs also remind passengers of how serious their offenses might be. One poster reads: “Many forms of harassment are criminal and violators will be prosecuted. Respect your fellow passenger.”  

CTA passengers have been victims of sexual harassment and assault for decades, but only recently has it become worthy of media attention. 

In April 2015, several Chicago news outlets reported an especially brutal attack of a 41-year-old woman by a 15-year-old boy on a Blue Line train.

Police said the teen knocked the woman to the ground before sexually assaulting her and stealing her cash and iPhone.

Despite still being a minor when he committed the crimes, the offender was charged as an adult for one count of felony aggravated criminal sexual assault and one count of felony robbery, as reported by NBC Chicago on April 22.

What made this especially horrifying was that the offense took place in broad daylight, shortly after 3 p.m. on a Monday afternoon. 

The revamped CTA campaign has long been needed by all public transportation users.

The campaign in itself cannot stop crimes and harassment from taking place, but it may deter offenders from harming others or making them uncomfortable and will at the very least encourage fellow riders to intervene more often than they do.

Every Chicagoan or visitor likely has at least a few stories of harassment, aggressive panhandling, assault or other concerning experiences they have either witnessed or gone through personally.

However, many passengers have watched these offenses take place and stood by, saying nothing for fear of overstepping their bounds or being harmed themselves.

The CTA’s new campaign is sending exactly the straightforward and honest message that new Chicagoans and long-time residents alike can benefit from.