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Transport unions challenge violence against women
29 November 2006
Transport workers’ unions across the world took a stand on the issue of violence against women last Saturday as they marked the United Nations International Day Against Violence Against Women.
Numerous ITF affiliates from some 17 countries organised a range of activities. These included an event for women members of the Argentinian ship officers’ union; a one-day seminar on the issue organised by transport unions in Jordan; a gender sensitisation workshop in India run by the dock workers’ union; and a press conference, parliamentary lobby and visit to a women’s safe house organised by the Serbian railway union. In addition, the US-based machinists and aerospace union organised an email awareness-raising campaign, while the Australian maritime union undertook a programme of community education and activities to raise money for women's refuges.
ITF Women’s Officer Sarah Finke commented: “Transport workers are vulnerable to physical and non-physical violence because of the jobs they do – they often work in stressful situations with the public, alone or during unsocial hours. Women can be more vulnerable than men in these situations, often being the target of sexually motivated attacks. That’s why it’s important that transport unions take on board the issue, not just on 25 November, but every day throughout the year.”
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