Living as a woman is no easy task, especially in developing countries like Pakistan where societies are controlled by patriarchal thought. An amplifier in this regard is the hidden price that women have to pay just to feel safe. For many women all around the world, daily transportation is not just a mundane part of their day, but rather a calculation of not only money but also the risk involved in using public transport. Even after a long day of work ends, women still have to make decisions about which route to take and which driver on a taxi app seems the most reliable. As a result, women and young girls alike have to spend extra money on commuting just to feel secure.
The Risk of Public Transport
Perhaps the cheapest and easiest mode of transportation is public transport methods such as buses. But ultimately, these methods of commuting have repeatedly proven to be unsafe and sometimes life-threatening for women. According to a study conducted in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, 86% of women travellers faced staring on public transportation, while 75% reported casual touch. Furthermore, according to a study conducted by the United Nations in India, 50% of women faced sexual harassment while travelling on public transport in India. Therefore, when it comes to travelling for women, it is really not just about comfort. Instead, taxis and cabs become a necessity rather than a luxury, becoming a mode of survival.
The High Costs of Being a Female Commuter
Cabs have always been expensive, but with rising fuel costs, the increase in cab prices has been astronomical. A survey conducted in the UK on 1,000 girls aged 14 to 21 showed that 62% of female commuters take taxis home at least once a month, and they spend an average of over £44 in a month. The number rises to £528 over the duration of a whole year. This problem becomes much more serious when we bring into the picture the gender pay gap, which is a very real phenomenon even if refuted repeatedly. A report by the International Labour Organization shows how women in wage employment earn substantially less than their male counterparts — by almost 25% to 30%. Moreover, girls who are students and who belong to lower socio-economic backgrounds suffer equally as much, if not more. At times when they cannot afford private taxis, these young girls risk their safety by using local buses.
Another Opportunity to Smother Women
While a huge problem, definitely, the biggest issue with the high costs of public transport is not the fact that women have to submit a large sum of money to taxis and cabs, but rather the fact that due to this problem, women and girls avoid attending colleges, universities, and workplaces which may be a little far from their house, no matter how good the opportunity may be. This also leads to the domestication of women, a problem so many women around the globe are trying to eradicate. Women play an extremely important part in the development of any country in the world. And when these very women are burdened with safety issues and money problems, leaving them paralysed by stress, the development of states begins to slow down.