RoundTable Podcast – Transcription

Introduction
Elsie: Halo olgeta, I’m Elsie, welcome to the RoundTable Podcast. We’ve created this space for Ni-Vanuatu women to speak freely on issues affecting us today. Let’s navigate life in the islands together. Join me as I speak to a new guest every episode and ask the questions you’ve always wanted to ask. Ale yumi storian. This project is made possible with the support of the WeRise Coalition and PECMAS.
TRANSLATIONS: Hello everyone, I’m Elsie, welcome to the RoundTable Podcast. We’ve created this space for Ni-Vanuatu women to speak freely on issues affecting us today. Let’s navigate life in the islands together. Join me as I speak to a new guest every episode and ask the questions you’ve always wanted to ask. Let’s discuss. This project is made possible with the support of the WeRise Coalition and PACMAS.
Interview
Elsie (E): Ministry of Education partnered with Sista and they launched an essay competition for secondary students. Now the essay competition looked at how students, so young Ni-Vanuatu girls and boys, how they could address violence against women and girls on public transport. The Public Land Transport Authority took steps to come on social media to stand up against violence particularly in these situations, they took the steps to warn bus drivers, taxi drivers that sexual harassment of women was unacceptable and they stood up and said that this type of behavior needs to stop. And this was only after a series of women and cases are reported that they were jumping out of buses because they were scared of being assaulted, they were jumping out of buses because these drivers were actually assaulting them. And there was a whole discussion around this and a lot of authorities were coming forward blaming women, telling them what to do, what not to do in order to prevent them not being assaulted, not getting raped. But they weren’t coming forward to tell men to stop raping, to stop assaulting women and girls who are using their transport services to get from one place to the other. Now today the conversation is slowly shifting. I’d like to believe that more people are putting more focus and trying to hold these men accountable for their actions, but it’s still a very big problem today. And so with me today I have two guests to talk about this topic. On this episode we are talking about safe transportation in Port Vila. I have with me today Thompson Natuoivi, a young man from Futuna who’s currently studying Bachelor of Civil Engineering at USP while working part time at Tulaet Projects Limited which is a construction and consulting company. And I also have with me Rosina Kaimbang, Sista’s Project Coordinator. Hi tufala, tangkiu tumas we yu save joinem mi tedei.
TRANSLATIONS: The Ministry of Education partnered with Sista and they launched an essay competition for secondary students. Now the essay competition looked at how students, so young Ni-Vanuatu girls and boys, how they could address violence against women and girls on public transport. The Public Land Transport Authority took steps to come on social media to stand up against violence particularly in these situations, they took the steps to warn bus drivers, taxi drivers that sexual harassment of women was unacceptable and they stood up and said that this type of behavior needs to stop. And this was only after a series of women and cases are reported that they were jumping out of buses because they were scared of being assaulted, they were jumping out of buses because these drivers were actually assaulting them. And there was a whole discussion around this and a lot of authorities were coming forward blaming women, telling them what to do, what not to do in order to prevent them not being assaulted, not getting raped. But they weren’t coming forward to tell men to stop raping, to stop assaulting women and girls who are using their transport services to get from one place to the other. Now today the connversation is slowly shifting, I’d like to believe that more people are putting more focus and trying to hold these men accountable for their actions, but it’s still a very big problem today. And so with me today I have two guests to talk about this topic. On this episode we are talking about safe transportation in Port Vila. I have with me today Thompson Natuoivi, a young man from Futuna who’s currently studying Bachelor of Civil Engineering at USP while working part time at Tulaet Projects Limited which is a construction and consulting company. And I also have with me Rosina Kaimbang, Sista’s Project Coordinator. Hi guys, thank you very much for joining me today.
 
Thompson Natuoivi (TN): Hi Elsie.
 
Rosina Kaimbang (RK): Hi Elsie.
 
E: So I’ve chosen Thompson and Rosina to join me on today’s episode because they’re both young Ni-Vanuatu people, they’re both very open minded and they’ve had their experience with this whole transportation situation in Port Vila and they have an understanding on the importance of safe transportation. So before we delve into this conversation, I just want to get your perspective. Why do you think that this topic is an important conversation to have?
 
TN: Ok, thank you Elsie. Halo bakegen long yumi evriwan ol listeners. So this topic to me personally is a good topic. First of all, safe transportation long Port Vila, within taon blong yumi long Port Vila, taem yumi tokbaot safe transportation hemi mainly minim nomo hao we wan man o wan woman, boe o gel hemi tekem transportation from one point to the other. Bifo yumi bing stap harem se transportation hemi much more safer but naoia it’s becoming more risky blong an individual blong bae hemi jam long bus o even long own vehicle blong hem blong bae hemi travel i go long wan ples bae hemi save go insaed long wan aksiden either ol yangfala oli stonem glass i brok o either gel o woman we i jam long bus she got raped, say she got raped. So hemia hemi wan long ol topic we yumi save talem se hemi impoten blong yumi mas discussem evri dei blong hemi kam wan norm, we i kam nomol blong ol man oli tekem se no hemi situation we hemi stap happen long Port Vila taon and what are the changes bae yumi tekem blong bae yumi save help reducem ol incident ia. Thank you.
TRANSLATIONS: Ok, thank you Elsie. Hello again to everyone listening. So this topic to me personally is a good topic. First of all, safe transportation in Port Vila, within Port Vila town, when we talk about safe transportation it mainly means how a man or woman, boy or girl uses transportation to get from one point to the other. In the past we would hear that transportation was much more safer but now it’s becoming more risky for an individual to get on a bus or even their own vehicle to travel somewhere they can face an accident either young people break the vehicle’s glass or a girl or woman jumps out of a bus because she got raped, say she got raped. So this is a topic that is very important that we discuss everyday so that it becomes a norm, that it becomes normal for people to see that it is a situation that happens in Port Vila and what are the changes that we are going to take to reduce these incidents. Thank you.
 
RK: Ok thank you Elsie, thank you Thompson. Long perspective blong mi topic ia hemi really wan impoten topic we yumi sapos blong tokbaot plante. Hemi from nomo se we have incidents going around right now we hemi stap happen we ol drivers, yumi gat ol drivers we oli stap draevem ol transport o bae yumi talem se transport hemi includem taxi, hemi includem bus, hemi includem ol nara samting tu we oli stap usum tu blong oli muvum ol man from one place into another. So hemi ol form blong transportation sam taem hemi no fil sef long plante long ol yangfala blong tedei. So i gat ol samting we i stap happen yumi luk ol boe, ol gel oli stap jam aot long ol bus, oli stap aksiden sam oli even ded, sam oli kasem ol big bigfala kill. Sam olsem Thompson i talem, i gat ol gel we oli raped insaed long ol bus. So hemi gud blong yumi continue blong tokbaot ol kaen samting to do wetem transportation blong mekem se ol tranportation blong yumi hemi sef especially in Port Vila.
TRANSLATIONS: Ok thank you Elsie, thank you Thompson. In my perspective this is a very important topic that we are supposed to talk about. It’s only because we have incidents going around right now where we have drivers who drive transport which includes taxis, buses and other things as well that is used to move people from one place to another. So it’s these forms of transportation where sometimes they’re not safe for plenty young people today. There are things happening where we see boys, girls that jump out of buses, getting into accidents, some have even died, some get serious injuries. Some like Thompson mentioned, there are some girls that have been raped in these buses. So it’s good for us to continue talking about these kinds of things to do with transportation so that our transportation becomes safe especially in Port Vila.
 
E: Tangkiu tufala long tingting blong yutufala. I think it’s very clear from what you both have said, we’ve all heard ol difren incidents we i happen we ol gel oli jam aot long bus because they’ve been either sexually assaulted or they felt very uncomfortable, didn’t feel safe. There’s so many different situations, different incidents out there, mi sua se yufala we i stap lisen in too yufala save some people, sam storian we wan gel i mekem olsem. Now safe transportation is quite a wide topic, but I think the main angle that I want to touch on for this first half of the episode is when we talk about safe transportation, we’re not only talking about vehicles. People walk, Port Vila’s quite small, you can get from one place to another just by walking. And I just want to know, because I know that I have my own personal experiences where if I want to get somewhere, like I have an event or I have to meet somebody, I will think through how I’m going to get there, what I need to do in order to get there safely. So have either of you, maybe we’ll start off with Thompson, have you ever had to really plan out how to get from one place to the other?

 
TN: I mean, yes. Firstly, to answer your question I have been in situations where I have to go thoroughly planning on how to get from one point to the other. And I feel that hemi wan long ol samting we yumi evriwan yumi shud stap praktisim blong bifo yumi go long wan ples to the other place, yumi tekem taem blong yumi stap mo yumi traem planem aot nomo rod blong bae yumi go, transportation hao bae yumi go, is it safer this way o bae hemi safer this way. Hemi wan long ol samting tu we long mifala long wok, taem we mifala i redi blong mifala i go mekem ol runs blong mifala bae mifala mas staon fes taem mifala mekem briefing fes taem, se bae mifala go long ples ia, go long ples ia. So hemi wan praktis we yumi evriwan shud stap mekem, even sipos hemi jes blong go long stoa nomo blong get some errands done o wokbaot go long taon, hemi ol nomol wokbaot blong yu be I think hemi most safer blong bae yu at least tekem time fes taem blong yu planem aot fes taem wokbaot blong yu, ol transportation we bae yu tekem blong bae yu mitim ol needs blong yu and then yu jes stap mekem. Olsem wan eksampol hemi when it comes to safety and yumi ol yangfala yumi stap long taon blong go long klab sef long naet. Taem we yumi blong ko long klab, mi stap luk fulap oli mas arrangem fes taem wan transport, oli arrangem wan bus o wan fren blong olgeta nomo blong mekem pickups afta klab blong go putum olgeta either long haos o long wan rum we oli pem. Say for example ol gel I find that fulap ol gel long taon taem we oli stap go aot bae oli mas stap pem ol rum fes taem blong bae oli save slip ova. Taem we ples i kam delaet hemi sef blong oli save wokbaot bakegen then bae oli save stap gobak long ol haos blong olgeta. So kambak bakegen long situation wetem kwestin yu bin askem ia, taem we oli stap mekem plan blong go clubbing ia oli mas planem gud fes taem transportation blong olgeta just in order blong sefti blong olgeta nomo because social media naoia yumi stap harem fulap long ol stori we i stap go raon we sam stori ia hemi transportation wise, sefti blong olgeta nomo, transportation we oli stap tekem nomo i stap causem olgeta blong oli go tru long ol aksiden. So hemia hemi wan long ol samting we yumi shud stap praktisim, planem ol forms blong transportation blong yumi from one point to the other. So yes, I think it’s a good things to do and I also do it. Thank you.
TRANSLATIONS: I mean, yes. Firstly, to answer your question I have been in situations where I have to go thoroughly planning on how to get from one point to the other. And I feel that this is something that we all should practice before going from one place to the other place, we should take the time to stop and plan out our routes, how we are going to get there, is it safer this way or will it be safer this way. It’s something that we also do at work, when we are ready to make our runs we would sit down, have a briefing, that we’re going here and going there. So it’s a practice that everyone should be doing, even if it is just for going to the shops when running errands or when walking in town, it’s your normal walkabouts (???) but I think it’s most safer if you at least take the time to plan out your route, the transportation that you will be taking to meet your needs and then you can do it. Like as an example when it comes to safety and young people go to the clubs safely at night. When they go to the clubs, I’ve notice a lot of them will arrange a transport, they arrange either a bus or a friend to make pickups after the club to get them either to their home or at a room that they paid for. Say for example, some girls, I find that a lot of girls in town when they go out they will get a room paid for beforehand so that they can sleep over there. When it’s daylight and it’s safe to walk around again then they will be able to get to their homes safely. So coming back to the situation with the question you asked, when they make their plans to go clubbing, they have to first plan out their transportation just in order for their safety because on social media today we see these stories going around where some of them are transportation based, the transportation that they took compromised their safety causing serious accidents. So this is something that we should all be practising, planning the forms of transportation we would be taking from one point to the other. So yes, I think it’s a good thing to do and I also do it. Thank you.
 
E: Rosina what are your thoughts? Has there been a situation we yu mas planem gud, tingting gud fes taem?
TRANSLATIONS: Rosina what are your thoughts? Has there been a situation where you had to plan and think properly first?
 
RK: Ok thank you Elsie. Bae mi save talem se yes and no sem taem. Mi talem yes from se long taem we mi live long Vila sam taem taem se mi wantem go long wan ples mi no stap planem transportation se wanem transportation bae mi go long hem, wanem taem. Mi stap nomo from long tingting blong mi se ol bus i stap ron eni taem, taem se mi redi blong go long taon mi go stanap nomo mi stopem bus mi go. So bae mi save talem se hemia hemi wan no nomo, mi no stap planem blong go long wan transportation. So taem mi muv aot long Vila mi go live long Not Efate, naoia mi mas tingting seriously nao long transportation blong mi. So bifo mi wantem kam long taon, mi mas mek sua se transportation we bae mi mi tekem bae hemi mas sef afta plante taem from se mi stap kam long bus long moning mi stap gobak long aftanun, afta mifala stap go long wan bus we hemi stap pickup mo hemi stap drop off. So long mi mi filim se hemi sef. Be sapos we mi go long wan narafala taem we bus ia hemi no available, bae mi mek sua se mi mas kolem ol nara transport we oli redi, eni wan we hemi available blong kam long taon afta bae mi kam long hem.So taem ia nao mi stap planem transportation blong mi ia. So mi tingse sam taem hemi to do wetem taem we yu save gat access long transportation. Long taon hemia yumi gat access long transportation hemia ol bus ia oli stap ronron evri taem nomo, yu save stopem so yu no nidim blong yu planem. Be taem we yu go stap long wan ples we hemi long, olsem distance ia i longwe long taon, o long ples we yu wantem go long hem, that’s when bae yu stat blong tingting nao se mi mi mas planem hao nao bae mi go long ples ia. So that’s when planning i kam insaed long hem ia nao. So hemia hemi wan samting we plante gel long Vanuatu oli stap mekem, especially long Port Vila plante oli stap mekem olsem ia nao. So taem i kam nomo long wan taem we yumi gat wan occasion o yumi gat wan church activity, then bae luk se “no from se ol pikinini ia oli smol smol, yumi mas redi long wan transportation, wan bus blong pikimap olgeta, i dropem olgeta. Yumi ol big bigwan i oraet yumi save wokbaot, yumi save faenem own way out blong yumi”. So taem i gat ol impoten occasion nomo then bae oli stat blong oli planem. Be blong talem se personally olgeta oli no stap planem ol transportation taem i stap kam long ol kaen issues blong transportation, taem wan gel i gat wan issues wetem wan transport o wan samting olsem ia then bae oli stap resem ap nao se “yu shud tingting olsem ia fes taem”. Be normally olsem long daily life blong olgeta oli no stap tekem transportation i kam wan serious samting we oli sapos blong planem. Thank you.
TRANSLATIONS: Ok thank you Elsie. I would have to say yes and no at the same time. Yes, because when I am living in Vila and there are times when I have to go somewhere, I don’t plan out my transportation, like what transportation will I be taking, or at what time. It’s just because when I think about it the buses operate whenever, and when I’m ready to go into town I just stand on the road and stop a bus. So I can say that it is a no for me, I don’t plan out my transportation. Although when I moved to go live at North Efate, it was then that I had to think seriously about my transportation. So before I would come in to town, I had to make sure that the transportation that I would be taking was safe because I take the bus in the morning and back in the afternoon, thus we would take a bus that would do pickups and drop offs. So to me that made me feel safe. But if I went at another time and that bus wasn’t available, then I would make sure to call another transport that was ready and was available to go into town. So that was when I had to be planning out my transportation. But I think that sometimes it just has to do with if you have access to transportation. In town we have access to transportation because these buses operate daily, you can stop a bus anytime you don’t really need to plan it out. But when you live somewhere out of town and it is very far, that’s when you need to start thinking about how you will be getting to where you need to go. So this is where planning comes in handy. And this is something that many young girls in Vanuatu do, especially in Port Vila. So when it comes to a time when they have an occasion or a church activity then you’ll see that they’ll be planning saying “the younger ones are smaller so we need to get a transport ready for them to pickup and drop off. As the older ones we are fine, we can walk and figure out a way to get there”. So it’s when there are important occasions then they’ll be planning. But personally they don’t plan out the transportation when it comes to issues that regard transportation, when a girl has issues with transport then they’ll raise up issues like “you should’ve thought about it first”. But normally in their daily lives they don’t really take transportation as something serious to be planning out. Thank you.
 
E: Thank you. I think that’s both very good points and interesting points. I wrote this question, I think I may have done it a little biased, it was from my perspective because when I have somewhere to go, somewhere to be, I plan it out in my head, how I’m going to get there and hu nao bae mi mas talem se “bae mi mi go long ples ia long time ia, bae mi mesegem yu” all that. But I guess it’s different for everyone, there will be some people who will plan and there will be others who feel like it’s ok they can just stop a bus or walk to where they need to go. Now I think for the next question it’s another kind of personal question, I wrote this question from my perspective but I want to hear your perspectives as well. Rosina you can start off and just share have you ever gone through wan eksperiens we yu yu filim se sefti blong yu i stap long risk?
TRANSLATIONS: Thank you. I think that’s both very good points and interesting points. I wrote this question, I think I may have done it a little biased, it was from my perspective because when I have somewhere to go, somewhere to be, I plan it out in my head, how I’m going to get there and who I’m going to tell that “I’m going here at this time, I’ll message you” all that. But I guess it’s different for everyone, there will be some people who will plan and there will be others who feel like it’s ok they can just stop a bus or walk to where they need to go. Now I think for the next question it’s another kind of personal question, I wrote this question from my perspective but I want to hear your perspectives as well. Rosina you can start off and just share have you ever gone through an experience where you felt your safety was at risk?
 
RK: Ok i gat wan taem we afta long wan saeklon, I think it’s Cyclone Judy, afta long hem mi mi kam long wok afta mi kam stap long wok ful dei. Be from taem ia electricity i daon, afta evri samting i daon afta batri blong fon blong mi tu i go i flat so mi nogat chance blong mi save kolem wan bus blong talem se “mi mi stap long taon, yu kam pikimap mi long ples ia”. So mi mestem bus ia so I just have to a bus from where ofis i stap long hem and then kasem long Au Bon Marche we evri man Not Efate oli stap karem bus long hem. So when I got there there was no bus, afta mi staon i troublem hat blong mi nao from this is the first time we hat blong mi pam we i pam we mi tingting gogo se hao nao bae mi kasem long we from nomo se fon blong mi i ded afta long nara tingting bakegen se naoia i nogat ol boat we i stap go long Lelepa Island long ples we mi mi live long hem. Ale antap long hem hemi stap go tudak, so naoia i gat ol difdifren samting we i happen we i mekem se mi filim se naoia situation naoia i no sef long mi sapos we mi stopem wan bus naoia blong mi go. Afta sapos mi go long bus sapos eni samting i happen long mi long rod hao nao bae mi kontaktem ol famle blong mi o ol fren blong mi o olsem wanem blong oli save se mi mi stap long ples ia? From se hemi wan nomol routine blong mi evri dei mi mi stap long wok bus i stap pikimap mi and mi filim se i sef, be naoia mi mi mas go stopem bus antap long hem hemi saeklon season afta ol man oli stap bisi stap traem blong recover afta long saeklon we jes stap pass nomo, Judy, taem ia yumi stap redi blong go long Kevin bakegen be mi mi kam long taon. So mi stanap long we mi wet, mi stap mi troublem hat long mi mi no save se hao long mi stanap ia mi wet gogo bus i kam mi jam long bus mi go. Mi stap pray nomo long hat blong mi se “plis papa God yu helpem mi, yu sevem mi, mi no save se mi stap go ia mi stap go olsem wanem”. Be this is the first time, from se mi go long wan transport we mi no trastem draeva ia, hemi wan nara samting, afta nara samting tu hemi from long naet, sapos hemi long dei bae mi filim se it’s ok I can go, bus i putum mi wea mi save go daon. Namba tu from se ples i tudak afta namba tri tu from se netwok coverage i daon, paoa i nogat, long rod ples i tudak, long ol rod ia yumi nogat ol laet long rod. And then the last thing hemi from se yumi stap long season blong saeklon and no one hemi considerem ol sefti measures ia blong transportation, evriwan oli stap tingbaot recovery long saeklon so no one is focusing on the other one there. So sapos mi go eni samting i happen long mi bae i olsem wanem? So long taem ia mi filim se hemia sefti blong mi ia i stap long risk wantaem. So that is an example, thank you Elsie.
TRANSLATIONS: Ok there was a time after the cyclone, I think it’s Cyclone Judy where after it I went in to work and stayed there for the whole day. But at that time electricity was down, everything was down and my phone had also died so I didn’t get the chance to call a bus to say that I was in town and they should pick me up there. So I missed the bus and I just had to stop a different bus from work to get to Au Bon Marche where everyone going to North Efate goes to stop a bus. But when I got there there weren’t any buses around and I just sat there with a heavy heart as this was the first time where my heart was pounding and I thought how was I going to get home because my phone was dead and I knew that there weren’t any boats going Lelepa Island to where I was living. And on top of that it was already getting dark, so now this situation made me feel unsafe to stop a bus to get there. And if I got on a bus and anything happened to me on the road, how would I contact my family or my friends letting them know where I was? Because it was my normal everyday routine to have a bus pick me up at work and it made me feel safe, but now I had to stop a different bus where on top of that it was cyclone season and everyone was busy recovering from the cyclone that just passed, Judy, and getting ready for the next one, Kevin but I came into town. So I stood there waiting for I don’t know how long, with a heavy heart until a bus came and I got in. I started praying in my heart saying “please God help me, save me, I don’t know where I’m going”. But this was the first time as I got into a transport where I didn’t trust the driver, and another thing was that it was dark, if it was day then maybe I would’ve felt that it was ok, I can go and wherever the bus dropped me I could get off. Secondly because it was dark and thirdly because the network coverage was down, there was no power, on the roads it was so dark as there weren’t any streetlights on. And then the last thing was because we were in cyclone season and no one considered the safety measures regarding transportation, everyone was thinking about their recovery from the cyclone so no on was focusing on anything else. So if I went and anything happened to me, what would I do? So it was then that I felt my safety was really at risk. So that is an example, thank you Elsie.
 
E: I can’t even imagine going through that, I feel like I’d be stressing so much. But you got home safe, right, bus i dropem yu gud long haos afta yu jes stap, was there anybody waiting or no?
TRANSLATIONS: I can’t even imagine going through that, I feel like I’d be stressing so much. But you got home safe, right, the bus dropped you off at home, was there anybody waiting or no?
 
RK: No i nogat wan man i wet from se fon blong mi i ded, it went off. So I just got there afta mi talem long bus blong mi se “bae yu stop long ples ia bae mi go daon ia”. So when I got down, mi luk wan man nomo i stap wokbaot long rod mi singaotem hem se “bae yu save kam stanap ia afta yu torchem rod blong mi bae mi go daon long haos ia daon long solwota longwe”. Mi go long haos blong wan famle, wan relative, mi no go long haos we bae mi go silip long hem, so mi jes go there afta mi talem long olgeta se “bae mi save silip long ples ia afta mi jes stap go long aelan from se i tudak finis”. So laki se man ia we mi luk hem long rod ia i torchem rod blong mi afta mi go long haos blong famle ia. So i nogat wan man i stanap long rod blong i wet long mi blong i mekem i sef tu long ples ia be problem se netwok i daon afta fon blong mi tu i flat so mi no save communicate blong talem se wan i go stanap long rod. Be ol kaen situation ia mi no save se bae mekem olsem wanem, we just have to be strong afta yumi traem figurem aot hao nao bae yumi go tru long hem, hao nao bae yumi mekem, hao nao bae yumi go safely long haos taem se yu nogat wan nara man blong stap long saed blong yu blong mekem se yu fil sef.
TRANSLATIONS: No there wasn’t anyone waiting because my phone had died. So I just got there and told the bus driver “you can stop here and I’ll get off”. So when I got down, I saw someone walking along the road and I called to them and asked “can you follow me and shine your torch along this road so I can go down to that house by the water”. I went to a relatives home, I didn’t go to my house, so when I went to their house I asked them if I could sleep over then I would go to the island as it was already dark out. So luckily the person that I saw alon gthe road was able to shine along the road so I could get to that house. But nobody was waiting for me on the road to ensure that it was safe but the problem was that the network was down and my phone was also dead so I couldn’t communicate to tell someone to go wait on the road. But it’s these kinds of situations I don’t know what we should do, we just have to be strong and try to figure out how we can go through it, what we can do, how we can get home safely when we don’t have someone else by our side to make you feel safe.
 
E: Thank Rosina, that’s a great example. Thank you for sharing that experience as well. I’m now interested to hear Thompson’s experience. Have there been anywhere yu yu filim se sefti blong yu olsem wan yangfala man hemi stap long risk?
TRANSLATIONS: Thank Rosina, that’s a great example. Thank you for sharing that experience as well. I’m now interested to hear Thompson’s experience. Have there been any where you felt your safety as a young man was at risk?
 
TN: Ok thank you Elsie. First off, mi neva, olsem mi no neva be the way we Rosina hemi putum daon scenario ia afta mi staon mi stap lisen mi stap tingting long hem se wow it really got to me. So these are the measures we wan gel bae mas go tru long hem blong sefti blong hem, especially taem hemi stap long wan ples we hemi far away from town, and go tru long ol kaen situation we fon i ded, there’s no electricity, netwok i daon and everybody’s focusing on other things so bae hemi fil vulnerable in a way. Sipos yumi putum i kam long perspective blong mi, long wan boe, now that I’m thinking about it I think sefti long saed olsem aksiden nomo olsem foldaon long trak o kaen olsem, but to do with other people’s encounter, I don’t think mi eva kam acrossem. Well I think mi bin kam across wan we mi mi wokbaot gobak long haos, it sounds funny be ol boe taem se sam taem mi go long Seaview, oli drong o olsem ia bae oli save faetem yu from mani kaen olsem ia. Be otherwise long mi mi considerem hemia hemi laki. Wan nara samting mi wantem serem tu long saed ia hemi, i no mi be wan gel I don’t know who, mi finis skul long USP long last month, hemia hemi happen last month nomo, mi finis skul antap long USP mi stap gobak long haos that was late, it was going for 12 o’clock, afta fortunately mi stopem wan bus. Mi jam long bus, there was the two of us, afta wan bae go daon long Anchor Inn long taon. So mi jam long bus mifala kasem daon long Anchor Inn, mifala dropem off pasenga ia finis be tufala i luk wan gel. Ating tufala i save gel ia, so tufala singaotem gel ia afta tufala i se “yu kam jam bae yumi go ronron finis yumi go putum brata ia ale afta yumi ron kambak bakegen long taon”. Afta gel ia tu olsem se she was a bit tipsy afta hemi kerap i se “mi mi stap lukaotem” afta i stap talem ol fren blong hem, ating oli mestem rod long taem ia hemi go hem wan afta ol fren blong hem oli go the other way. So hemi se “mi mi stap lukaotem” afta i talem nem blong ol fren blong hem afta oli se “mifala save ples we olgeta oli stap long hem”, so they were lying se “mifala save se olgeta oli stap long seafront, be bae yumi go putum brata ia, hem long Au Bon Marche Manples ia nomo afta yumi ron kambak long seafront”. And then gel ia i jam, be you could see by the face hemi stap mekem se she’s a bit. Ale mi mi staon i stap, mifala ron i go kasem Agriculture Supplies then hemi attempt blong askem draeva bakegen se “yu sua se olgeta stap daon long seafront?”, oli se “yes, yes bae yumi go, yumi go putum brata ia nomo long Au Bon Marche Manples afta yumi go, oli stap long Freswota”. Hemi nomo mentionem seafront, hemi talem naoia Freswota. Ale instantly i kasem mi wantaem se no they’re lying. So mi kerap nao mi tanem raon, mi tanem raon mi luk gel ia mi se “yu tingse i sef long yu o no?” afta gel ia i kerap nao hemi, like you could see that hemi fraet. Hemi se “no mi mi no save nao, mi mi kam wetem ol fren blong mi”, afta mi talem se “ok i oraet, yu save eni namba blong ol fren blong yu?”, hemi se “mi mi save be Digicel”. But sadly mi mi gat Vodafone nomo so mi mi nogat eni credit blong Digicel, so I can’t help her with that be what I did was mi talem long bus draeva se bae mitufala tugeta bae mitufala i jam aot long Au Bon Marche Manples ia. And then I got her to another bus that I trusted judging by the driver, sorry, be like I can see sometimes. So yes mi luk no hemia hemi wan draeva we bae mi mi save trastem so mi putum sista ia long hem and then mi talem se bae hemi go putum bak hem daon long, because I don’t know where bae hem i go long hem so mi talem se “bae yu either go putum bak hem long taon o bae hemi jes talem ples we bae yu putum hem long hem”, ale mi pem bus blong hem ia nao. So mi hapi se mi mekem hemia be mi gat tingting ia tu se wow hemia hemi sam long ol samting we ol gel oli stap go tru long hem, even if oli no askem. She was just looking for her friends and wan total stranger olsem wan fren hemi save from a distance, hemi kam hemi kam offerem hem wan ride. And who knows maybe sapos mi mi no talem se bae hemi jam aot bae hemi save end up long wan nara samting bakegen we bae hemi happen long hem. But thankfully I did that. But me personally, to do with transportation, I’m not proud to say this but I haven’t had any issues.
TRANSLATIONS: Ok thank you Elsie. First off, I’ve never, well not never but the way Rosina shared that scenario I sat back listening and it got me thinking and i t really go to me. So these are the measures that a girl has to go through for their safety, especially when they’re in a place far from town and going through that situation where their phone died, there’s no electricity, the network is down and everybody’s focusing on other things so she would feel vulnerable in a way. If we put it into my perspective as a male, now that I’m thinking about it I think safety is regarding these kinds of accidents like with a vehicle, but to do with other people’s encounter, I don’t think I have ever come across this. Well I think I had come across a situation where I was going back home, it sounds funny but some boys when I pass through Seaview they’re drunk and can beat you up for money, things like that. But otherwise, I consider myself lucky. Another thing I wanted to share regarding this, but a girl, I don’t know who, I had just finished school at USP. This happened just last month, I had just finished school at USP and I was going home. That was late, it was going for 12 o’clock and fortunately I was able to stop a bus. I got on the bus and there were the two of us there, and the other one was going down to Anchor Inn in town. So I got on the bus and we came down to Anchor Inn, dropping the passenger off but they saw a girl. I thought they knew her, so they called her over and they said “get in we go drive around and drop this brother off then we’ll come back into town”. And this girl, you could see she was a bit tipsy and she mentioned that she was looking for her friends, maybe she had split up with her friends. She mentioned her friends’ names and the other guys said “we know where they are”. But they were lying saying “we know that they’re at the seafront, let’s go drop this brother off at Au Bon Marche Manples and we’ll drive back this way to the seafront”. So the girl got in, but you could see by her face that she was a bit, you know. So I sat there, we came past Agriculture Supplies then she attempted to ask the driver again saying “are you sure they’re down at seafront?”, they said “yes, yes, we’ll go drop this brother at Au Bon Marche Manples then we’ll go, they’re at Freswota”. So now he didn’t mention seafront but said Freswota. And instantly I knew that they were lying. So I turner to her and asked “do you think you’ll be safe?”, and you could see on her face that she was afraid. She said “no I don’t know now, because I came with my friends”, and I asked “ok it’s ok, do you know your friends phone number?”, she said “yes I know but it’s Digicel”. Sadly I only had Vodafone and had no Digicel credit, so I couldn’t help her with that but what I did do was I told the bus driver that we were both going to get off at Au Bon Marche Manples. And then I got her to another bus that I trusted judging by the driver, sorry, but I can see that sometimes. So once I saw that the driver seemed trustworthy I got her on the bus and told the driver to drop her, because I didn’t know where she was going to go so I just said “you can either drop her in town or she’ll tell you where she needs to go”, then I paid her bus fare. So I’m happy that I had done that but I was also thinking that wow these are some of the things that girls go through, even if they don’t ask. She was just looking for her friends and a total stranger came and offered her a ride. And who knows, if I hadn’t said that we would both get off the bus, she would’ve ended up in a different situation all together. But thankfully I did that. But me personally, to do with transportation, I’m not proud to say this but I haven’t had any issues.
 
RK: Sori mi save talem wan nara eksampol blong mi, wan moa nara samting we mi bin go tru long hem. Mi harem Thompson i stap tokbaot stori blong hem ia, afta mi stap tingbaot mi tu mi bin gat wan taem we mi kam across that same situation where there’s another boy in the bus we hemi sevem mi. Bae mi talem se hemi really sevem mi aot long bus ia. Mi stopem bus mi go insaed long hem mi no save se bus draeva hemi dring, he was drunk. So I just got there, opened the bus, go staon spel. Taem bus i stap ron nao mi harem hao we bus draeva i stap toktok afta i stap ron ia, bus ia i no stap ron stret be olsem se i stap go long eni kaen kona nomo. And then boe ia i kerap i tanem raon i se “sista yu save bus draeva ia?”, mi se “no mi no save, mi stopem bus ia blong go long skul ia long USP”. Afta hem i kerap i se “draeva ia hemi drong ia be bae yumitu go kasem longwe sapos hemi stop blong dropem wan pasenga o wan man i stopem bus, bae mi openem bus bae yumitu kam aot long bus ia”. So when we got to the market house long Freswota ia, bus i stop, hemi openem bus ia i talem se “yu kam aotsaed”. Mitufala tugeta i kam aotsaed long bus ia, afta taem mi stap lukluk gud fes blong draeva luk se no hemi drong wantaem ia. So mi filim olsem se wan gudfala opportunity wantaem we olsem se long taem we boe ia tu i stap insaed long sem bus we mi stap long hem afta hemi helpem mi aot long bus ia. So sapos we mi stap insaed mi no save se bae i go olsem wanem, be olsem se i semak long storian blong wanem we Thompson i talem.
TRANSLATIONS: Sorry I just wanted to say another example of mine, something that I also experienced. Hearing Thompson telling his story got me thinking about how there was a time where I came across this situation where there was another boy in the bus with me and you could say that he really saved my life. So I stopped this bus, went in but I didn’t know that the driver was drunk. So I just got there, opened the bus, got in, sat down. When the bus was riding along I heard how the driver was speaking, and the bus wasn’t even driving in a straight line, it was going all over the place. And then the boy turned to me and asked “do you know the driver?”, I said “no I don’t know him, I just stopped the bus to go to school at USP ”. Then he said “the driver is drunk but if he drops off a passenger or somebody stops the bus, let’s both get off the bus’ ‘. So when we got to the market house at Freswota, the bus stopped, he opened the door and told me to get out of the bus. We both got out and as I was looking at the driver’s face properly I could immediately tell that he was drunk. So I felt that at that moment it was a good opportunity to be in the bus with that boy as he helped me out of it. If I had stayed in that bus I don’t know what would have happened, so it’s basically the same situation as Thompson was in.
 
E: Thank you! Thompson that was, I think a lot more young men need to do that. Luk fulap taem oli luk save se, like Thompson your story, there’s something not right be bae oli stap kwaet nomo oli no talem wan samting. And then, it’s like they don’t, olsem oli no tingbaot the young girl or mama, or whoever’s in the bus. And your experience as well Rosina, that was great that the guy was like “actually we need to get out of the bus”, because potentially something could happen, maybe aksiden o wanem be hemi actually stand up blong talem sefti blong yumitu and got you both out. And Thompson for you to say “sefti blong yu, you need to get out”. So those are great experiences and examples, thank you so much for sharing. Thompson, I know you don’t have any experiences where yu filim se sefti blong yu i stap long risk, but that’s all good. I feel like, and this is my personal opinion, bae i gat fulap yangfala boe wetem ol man olgeta tu bae i semak, they don’t have that kind of, olgeta oli no go tru that experience where they feel their safety is at risk. I’ve just got a little snippet here from the winning essay from the competition that I mentioned earlier. And it was of this young boy and a part of his essay towards the end he goes on to say the most common types of abuse on public transport includes offensive gestures, winking, leering looks, hurtful insults and comments about their body and clothing, unwanted touching, unnecesary leaning. Rosina I don’t know if you’ve experienced that but I have and it’s very disturbing. Even like pressing up against a woman or a girl, incident exposure and sexual assault. So those are some of the types of abuse that can happen on public transport and these are some of the experiences that some young women and girls go through when they get on a bus or a public transport to get from one place to another. So I have my own personal experiences as well where I was put in situations where I thought something was going to happen to me. I didn’t feel safe but for some reason the universe was like not today and I managed to get home safely. But it was those experiences that now, today, when I want to get from one place to another, I will take the option of walking because I feel taking a bus isn’t safe. And if I do take a bus, I have to jump in a bus with other people and other friends so usually after work I’ll get in a bus with some of the girls from work. If not, I’m going to walk home. And so that for me is the safest way to get from one place to another. But I want to know, for you both, with the experiences that you’ve had and the stories that you’ve heard, what are some ways or what is the safest way for you to get from one place to another? Thompson, maybe you can go first.
TRANSLATIONS: Thank you! Thompson that was, I think a lot more young men need to do that. A lot of times, like in your story Thompson, when there’s something not right they will just stay silent and not say anything. And then, it’s like they don’t think about the young girl or mama, or whoever’s in the bus. And your experience as well Rosina, that was great that the guy was like “actually we need to get out of the bus”, because potentially something could happen, maybe an accident or anything else but he stood up, considered your safety as well as his own and got you both out. And Thompson for you to say “you’re not going to be safe, you need to get out”. So those are great experiences and examples, thank you so much for sharing. Thompson, I know you don’t have any experiences where you felt your safety was at risk, but that’s all good. I feel like, and this is my personal opinion, there would be a lot of young boys and men who would be the same, they don’t have that kind of, like they haven’t gone through that experience where they feel their safety is at risk. I’ve just got a little snippet here from the winning essay from the competition that I mentioned earlier. And it was of this young boy and a part of his essay towards the end he goes on to say the most common types of abuse on public transport includes offensive gestures, winking, leering looks, hurtful insults and comments about their body and clothing, unwanted touching, unnecessary leaning. Rosina I don’t know if you’ve experienced that but I have and it’s very disturbing. Even like pressing up against a woman or a girl, incident exposure and sexual assault. So, those are some of the types of abuse that can happen on public transport and these are some of the experiences that some young women and girls go through when they get on a bus or a public transport to get from one place to another. So I have my own personal experiences as well where I was put in situations where I thought something was going to happen to me. I didn’t feel safe but for some reason the universe was like not today and I managed to get home safely. But it was those experiences that now, today, when I want to get from one place to another, I will take the option of walking because I feel taking a bus isn’t safe. And if I do take a bus, I have to jump in a bus with other people and other friends so usually after work I’ll get in a bus with some of the girls from work. If not, I’m going to walk home. And so that for me is the safest way to get from one place to another. But I want to know, for you both, with the experiences that you’ve had and the stories that you’ve heard, what are some ways or what is the safest way for you to get from one place to another? Thompson, maybe you can go first.
 
TN: Yes I think I would also go with walking, I do that often. When I finish off work I normally walk back home and I find that refreshing because it gives me the time to get stress-free and just walk past people and say “Goodnight”. So I find that one of the safest form of transportation from my work or school to my house, because you know Port Vila, ples i smol, distance i no tumas for athletes like me. No I’m just kidding. But yeah, mi faenem se blong wokbaot hemi much more safer, because you get to choose speed blong yu, yu enjoyem process blong yu taem yu wokbaot i gobak, lisen long music blong yu. O mi stap tekem bus, be bus i no tumas, olsem mi stap tekem nomo taem wan emergency o say mi shower finis mi redi gud blong go aot kaen olsem ia, mi no nid blong swet then I’ll take a bus. But otherwise I would go with walking, as for me it’s the safest way to get from point A to point B, it is walking. Wan eksperiens hemi, again, mi finis skul blong stopem bus be i let we i let, mi nomo save stopem bus and it was on a Sunday. Mi traem blong stopem bus daon long Freswota long bus stop long ples ia opposite Au Bon Marche Freswota be bus i nogat nomo. But luckily i gat security blong USP tu hemi stap wokbaot blong kam go long Ohlen so mitufala tugeta mitufala wokbaot i gobak. So we walked back home. I can’t believe I walked back home long Sandei naet ia, I got back home some time around 1 o’clock in the morning. Mi wokbaot nomo i go and there was nobody on the road. But again I think it would’ve been more different long wan Friday naet o wan Saturday naet because there’d be a lot of drunk people but still for me it’s going to be walking. Otherwise when it gets too late, I like calling my friends up blong oli kam pikimap mi and also if worse comes to worse then bae mi jam long bus. Be I would be very picky when it comes to that situation.
TRANSLATIONS: Yes I think I would also go with walking, I do that often. When I finish off work I normally walk back home and I find that refreshing because it gives me the time to get stress-free and just walk past people and say “Goodnight”. So I find that one of the safest forms of transportation from my work or school to my house, because Port Vila is small and distance is not really a problem for athletes like me. No, I’m just kidding. But yeah, I find that walking is much safer, because you get to choose the speed that you are traveling, you enjoy the process of walking to your destination, and you listen to music. Or sometimes I take a bus, but not that often, I would only take a bus when there is an emergency or say I showered and ready to go out and I don’t need to sweat then I’ll take a bus. But otherwise I would go with walking, as for me it’s the safest way to get from point A to point B, it is walking. An experience of mine, again, is when I finished school and went to stop a bus but it was already very late so I didn’t get a chance to and it was on a Sunday. I tried stopping a bus down at the Freswota bus stop opposite Au Bon Marche Freswota but there weren’t any buses at all. But luckily one of USP’s security guards was also walking to Ohlen so we both walked back home. I can’t believe I walked back home on a Sunday night, I got back home sometime around 1 o’clock in the morning. As I was walking on the way, there was nobody on the road. But again I think it would’ve been more different on a Friday night or a Saturday night because there’d be a lot of drunk people but still for me it’s going to be walking. Otherwise when it gets too late, I like calling my friends to pick me up and also if worse comes to worse then I’ll just get on a bus. But I would be very picky when it comes to that situation.
 
E: Yeah I think there’s, I don’t know if it’s a thing, but I know other people as well who are picky with their buses.
 
TN: Yeah.
 
E: And sometimes I’m like “why are you picky, just stop a bus you’re just going home”. But it could be a kind of safety thing as well.
 
TN: Yeah.
 
E: So everyone’s different. Ok so your safest way of getting from one place to another is walking as well. Do you think other young men, I mean now that I think about it the people walking on the streets are usually boys. But for any of your friends, what do you think their, either it’s their safest way, is their go-to to get from one place to another?
 
TN: My other friends, I would say they’d probably choose walking as well. But then they have cars and buses and so they have their own vehicles. Probably that’s going to be their safest form of transportation.
 
E: True, true.
 
TN: But I think they’d choose walking also. I don’t think. I know they would choose walking also.
 
E: Yeah. And I guess walking is like a form of therapy in a way.
 
TN: It is!
 
E: Because you get to listen to music, release the stress from work and school and everything. But what about you Rosina, what is your safest way from getting from point A to point B?
 
RK: Well, with destination blong mi o where I live, walking ating bae hemi no wan option, if not ating bae mifala kasem destination after 24 hours. So I would say mifala i nid blong identifiem wan bus we mifala i trastem blong mifala i save go long hem. O sapos we bus ia i no available then it’s better we go in groups blong mi faenem wan narawan we mitufala i save go long wan bus. Hemi moa sef bitim we sapos mi mi wan mi go insaed long bus ia. O wan nara samting hemi sapos yumi go long bus ia mi mek sua se mi gat credit long fon blong mi, mi save kontaktem eni wan sapos if anything happens I can call them or I can text blong letem olgeta save se wan samting i no ok wetem mi long bus ia, hemia hemi wan nara samting. Especially wetem olgeta we oli live long rurol because plante long ol man we oli stap kam long Port Vila oli stap aotsaed olsem Erakor, Pango, Mele o Eton long we, ol nara pat blong Efate oli stap travel i kam long taon. So blong gobak, blong mekem i sef long olgeta hemi either oli go two long wan bus, hemi moa safe, o sapos oli go olgeta wan oli mek sua se fon blong olgeta hemi on afta oli gat credit insaed long hem blong mek sua se oli letem ol famle blong olgeta, o whoever se olgeta oli stap long bus ia afta oli identifiem ol bus draeva we oli save se bae oli save trastem olgeta blong go long bus ia, mo bus ia hemi sef long olgeta tu blong go long hem. So hemia hemi wan long ol safest way we mi tingse blong wan gel we hemi live long wan rurol eria hemi sapos blong considerem taem we hemi stap wantem boardem wan bus o transportation blong go long destination blong hem. Thank you.
TRANSLATIONS: Well, with my destination, where I live, walking might not be an option, if not then we’d probably reach our destination after 24 hours. So I would say we need to identify a bus that we trust so that we can take it. Or if that bus isn’t available then it’s better we go in groups to find another bus that we can go on. This would be safer if I got on a bus alone. Or another thing is if we get on a bus I have to make sure I have credit in my phone so I can contact anyone if anything happens,, I can call them or I can text to let them know if anything isn’t right in that bus. Especially with those who live in rural areas as the majority of people coming into Port Vila are those living in places like Erakor, Pango, Mele or Eton, among other parts of Efate that travel into town. So to go back, so that it is safer, it is better to go with someone on a bus or if they’re alone then just make sure their phone is turned on and they have credit to be able to let family know where they are so they can identify a bus driver that is trustworthy and the bus is safe enough for them. So this is one of the safest ways I think a girl that lives in a rural area should consider when she wants to board a bus or transportation to get to their destination. Thank you.
 
E: I think it really does depend on where you live. Like for Thompson and I, since we live in Port Vila, it’s the easiest and safest option long perspective blong mitufala hemi blong wokbaot. But for Rosina and other young women and girls who live in North Efate, it’s finding a transport and a driver that they trust. So these are all very different situations and I think it really does just depend on where you are, also time of the day, I think that plays a big factor as well. For example, if I do choose to walk, I have to walk before the sun sets because as soon as it gets dark, I start to get paranoid. And I’ve gone through an experience where I thought, well it looked as if somebody was following me, and my immediate thought was that I needed to call someone. And I called my mum and I was like “ok I think there’s someboody following me”, she was like “just keep talking, we’ll talk until you get home” and I was like “ok”. And I made the silly decision to walk down the streets where there was no streetlights.
TRANSLATIONS: I think it really does depend on where you live. Like for Thompson and I, since we live in Port Vila, the easier and safest option in our perspective is to walk. But for Rosina and other young women and girls who live in North Efate, it’s finding a transport and a driver that they trust. So these are all very different situations and I think it really does just depend on where you are, also time of the day, I think that plays a big factor as well. For example, if I do choose to walk, I have to walk before the sun sets because as soon as it gets dark, I start to get paranoid. And I’ve gone through an experience where I thought, well it looked as if somebody was following me, and my immediate thought was that I needed to call someone. And I called my mum and I was like “ok I think there’s someboody following me”, she was like “just keep talking, we’ll talk until you get home” and I was like “ok”. And I made the silly decision to walk down the streets where there was no streetlights.
 
TN: Oh ok, yeah.
 
E: And so I was paranoid. Anyways from that experience and also from other stories that I’ve heard from other young girls, is that some girls will walk around with little pocket knives or a sharp object that they can use in case they encounter some kind of, you know, the girls will know, they know.
 
TN: The girls will know.
 
E: The girls will know.
 
TN: Sorry.
 
E: Go for it.
 
TN: It’s just taem we yu stap talem olsem nao afta mi stap tingbaot, I have to also add in that, well walking is the safest way but it depends mainly on where exactly you walk.
TRANSLATIONS: It’s just when you were talking about that it got me thinking, I have to also add in that, well walking is the safest way but it depends mainly on where exactly you walk.
 
E: The route, the route you take.
 
TN: The route you take. Because sometimes people walk back home be oli stap tekem ol rod we might i gat ol yangfala we oli, not being offensive or anything be olsem olgeta oli smokem marijuana oli save stap long rod blong oli save blokem yu mekem eni samting, like not long ol gel nomo, long ol boe tu. Yumi faenem fulap ol issue we ol boe oli stap wokbaot gobak long haos be from oli blokem olgeta from mani ale afta oli nogat mani so oli mas kilim olgeta, kaen kaen ia. Luckily for me, mi bin pasem stage ia, be hemi moa dipen tu long hao we wanem rod exactly yu tekem blong gobak long haos. Sapos yu wokbaot olbaot nao then you might get into danger. But otherwise if you walk straight from where you are to where you want to go then that should be fine. For me, mi mi tekem ol rod we i gat ol trak oli stap pass long hem mo olsem ol man tu oli stap wokbaot long hem i go kam, even sapos hemi let long naet, so like by late I mean till 8. Because past 8, long mi naoia i let blong wokbaot nao, I have to go by a vehicle. But otherwise before 8, me walking, that’s no problem as long as hemi stap long wan rod we i gat man long hem mo trak i stap ron go kam, that’s within Port Vila town and where yumi stap long hem. Wan moa samting tu is, a good thing is mi stap luk fulap ol gel, especially sam long ol sista blong mi, taem oli stap wokbaot oli stap ring. Oli stap ringim eni famle memba blong oli stap stori nomo afta oli se “ok mifala stap long ples ia nao”. I don’t know about you guys but I know that my sisters do that, like taem we oli stap long Agriculture Supplies bae oli se “mifala stap long Agriculture Supplies stap wokbaot sloslo i kam yet”, kaen ia.
TRANSLATIONS: The route you take. Because sometimes people walk back home but they’ll take the roads where there might be young boys, not being offensive or anything but they will be smoking marijuana, standing on the road to block you and can do anything, not only to girls but boys too. We find that many issues that some boys that walk back home may face are these young boys blocking them on the road asking for money and if they don’t have money then they’ll beat them up. Luckily for me I have passed these stages, but these situations just depend on what road you take to go back home. If you’re walking all over the place then you might get into danger. But otherwise if you walk straight from where you are to where you want to go then that should be fine. For me I prefer taking the road that vehicles normally use and where a lot of people pass through, even if it is late at night, but by late I mean till 8. Because past 8 to me that is already pretty late to be walking on the streets, then I would have to go by vehicle. But otherwise before 8, me walking, that’s no problem as long as it is on a road that is frequently being used by vehicles and people walking, that’s within Port Vila town and where we are going to. Another thing, a good thing is I see many girls, especially some of my sisters, when they are walking they would be calling, calling any family member just to be on the phone and keep talking letting them know their location. I don’t know about you guys but I know that my sisters do that, like if they’re at Agriculture Supplies they would call over and say “we’re at Agriculture Supplies slowly walking home”, that kind of thing.
 
E: Yeah and those are like some of the, I guess precautionary steps that women take, like reaching out to someone to say “ok I’m on my way home”, just in case something does happen en route. And so there are, I don’t know if either of you, yufala harem ol stori tu we oli gel oli stap wokbaot wetem ol smol smol pocket knife.
TRANSLATIONS: Yeah and those are like some of the, I guess precautionary steps that women take, like reaching out to someone to say “ok I’m on my way home”, just in case something does happen en route. And so there are, I don’t know if either of you have heard the stories of how some girls will walk around with small pocket knives.
 
TN: Yeah.
 
E: Or sharp little objects and they carry it around because that’s how they feel safe. And causing any intentional harm with a sharp object is against the law but this is the reality blong yumi long Vanuatu naoia. Girls are having to carry around a little weapon because that’s how they feel safe and that’s how they know that they are going to get home safely. And Rosina, what are your precautionary steps we yu yu stap tekem blong mekem sua se yu yu kasem haos safely? Yu yu storian finis se you have a bus driver, you trust the bus driver, hem nao blong tekem yu gobak. But are there any other steps we yu yu tekem or maybe a friend or a family member we yu yu save hemi stap tekem in order blong hemi kasem ples safely?
TRANSLATIONS: Or sharp little objects and they carry it around because that’s how they feel safe. And causing any intentional harm with a sharp object is against the law but this is the reality of living in Vanuatu now. Girls are having to carry around a little weapon because that’s how they feel safe and that’s how they know that they are going to get home safely. And Rosina, what are your precautionary steps that you take to ensure you get home safely? You already mentioned how you have a bus driver, you trust the bus driver as he is the one getting you back safely. But are there any other steps that you or maybe a friend or a family member that you know takes in order for them to get where they want safely?
 
RK: Ok Elsie, thank you. Wan nara samting we mi mi stap mekem plante taem hemi, olsem Thompson i mentionem about kol, blong toktok. Mi tu sam taem mi olsem bae mi stap online afta mi stap chat ale blong stap toktok long wan fren blong mi o wan famle blong mi blong talem se mi stap long ples ia naoia. O mi toktok long fon blong mek sua se mi fil se mi sef nomo, mi fil secure nomo ko kasem destination blong mi long ples we bae mi go daon long hem. Be other than that sapos we mi no save sapos we yu live long Port Vila, mi no save se wanem nao hemi wan nara safest wei we bae yu save go long wan transportation o yu save move from one place to another. Be plante taem hemi to do wetem ol timing blong mi ia nao. Sapos we hemi long dei, bae hemi gat plante possibility blong yu sef nomo, yu go stret. Be taem long naet nao, bae yumi considerem naet ia nao, olsem Thompson i talem se afta long 8 ia hemi se no i no sef finis ia nao, so afta long 8 ia mi sapos mi stap long Vila ia mi no save se wanem nao hemi wan safest wei o wan precautions we bae mi mi tekem. Ating bae mi mek sua fes taem se sapos ples we mi wantem go long hem, mi faenem aot reason why nao mi mas go long ples ia, sapos we hemi wan reason we hemi serious tumas, ale mi mas traem blong faenem wan fren blong mi o wan famle blong mi we hemi gat wan transport, wan bus o wan car blong hemi pikimap mi blong go putum mi long ples ia. Be sapos we hemi nogat, bakegen mi mi lukluk i gobak long reason why mi mas go long ples ia o sapos mi nid blong mi muvum i go tumoro, bae mi jes stap go tumoro wantaem. Be plante taem taem mi stap wetem ol famle olbaot long Port Vila long ples ia, taem we hemi afta long 9 o’clock olsem ia bae oli talem long mi nao se “no yu nomo gobak nao, yu silip nomo bae mifala mekem bed blong yu”. Mi save se hemia i happen long plante gel long Port Vila, bae oli se “yumi silip nomo, bae yumi ringim famle blong yu nomo, dadi blong yu nomo wetem mami blong yu blong letem olgeta i save se bae yu silip from i no sef nao blong yu go long bus, unless oli ringim wan nara bus we hemi sef blong kam pikimap yu i go putum yu long haos”. So hemia hemi hao ol famle oli concern about sefti blong yu so bae oli suggestem blong yu yu silip. So wan nara wei tu hemi, olsem yumi stap talem wetem walking ia, blong yu wokbaot bakegen blong sapos wan gel we hemi live long taon blong hemi wokbaot, mi no save se bae, bakegen se bae i dipen long ples we hemi wokbaot long hem olsem Thompson i talem afta i dipen long timing blong hem o wea ples hemi wokbaot i go long hem, hao long, distance blong hem i longwan olsem wanem, o huia ol man we oli stap long ples we hemi go long hem. Sam taem ol man we oli stap long ples ia nomo, oli createm wan envaeromen we hemi no sef finis. So when girls go there, oli wokbaot go long ples ia oli se “no kona ia nao we ol man oli stap kilim ol man long hem”, o bae yumi save talem se, yumi no se offensive, be yumi talem se ol joss o wanem oli stap long hem ia se “olgeta nao oli stap askem mani long ol man, be sapos oli askem mani long mi bae mi mekem olsem wanem, mi nogat mani mi mi stap skul yet”, ating ol kaen smol smol samting olsem ia. Bae oli fraet nao blong oli wokbaot krosem strit ia, so oli filim se envaeromen long ples ia i no sef nomo long olgeta. So that’s also with walking we bae yumi talem se base long Vila long perspective blong ol gel we oli live long Vila. Thank you, Elsie.
TRANSLATIONS: Ok Elsie, thank you. Another thing that I do a lot is like what Thompson mentioned about making calls. I sometimes stay online and chat with a friend or a family member to let them know where I am. Or I speak on the phone just to make sure I feel safe, to feel secure just until I reach my destination. But other than that if that wasn’t possible and if you live in Port Vila, I don’t know what is another safest way that you can get a transport to move from one place to another. But many times it just has to do with my timing. If it was in the daytime, there would be plenty of possibilities to stay safe. But it is at night when we have to consider our safety, like THompson said that after 8 it would no longer be safe, so after 8 if I was in Vila I don’t’ know what would be the safest way or a precaution that I would take. I think I would make sure first of all that wherever I need to go, what is the reason for me to go there, if the reason is serious then I would need to find a friend or family member that has a transport, a bus or a car to pick me up get me to my destination. But if there is none, then again I would look for the reason as to why I need to get to this place or if I need to move it to tomorrow, then tomorrow it is. But many times when I’m with family in Port Vila and when it is after 9 o’clock then they would tell me “no don’t go, you can just stay over we’ll have a bed ready for you”. I know that this happens to many girls in Vila where they’ll say “you can just stay over, we’ll call your parents to let them know that you’ll be staying as it isn’t safe anymore to get on a bus at this time, unless they call another bus that is safe enough to get you home”. So this is how family can have concerns over your safety just by suggesting you stay over with them. And another way too is with walking, to be walking, for a girl that lives in town and she walks, it just depends on the places that she walks past like Thompson said. And it also depends on the timing as well and how long it takes, the distance, or who are the people that live around the area that she walks past. Sometimes those who live in these types of places create environments where it is no longer safe. So when girls go there, they’ll know instantly that “no that’s the corner where a lot of people get beat up and injured”, or we can say that, well not to be offensive, but we can say that those ‘joss’ that reside there will cause the girls to say “those are the guys that ask money from people, but if they ask me for money what will I do, I don’t have money I’m still in school”. They’ll be afraid now to walk across these streets, so they feel that these environments aren’t safe for them anymore. So that’s also for walking where we can say that it is based in Vila from the perspective of a girl that lives in Vila. Thank you Elsie.
 
E: I think as well like Rosina yu taj smol long timing olsem eksampol we Thompson tu i bin serem earlier on in this episode, it was you know if the girls are going out then they will all chip in to stay at a motel in town from se blong oli stopem bus blong gobak long haos oli save se sefti blong olgeta i stap long risk. And so that’s a big thing, it sucks in a way that we have to do that but it’s something that it is what it is in a way because we need to stand up and really speak out more on this topic and hold these drivers accountable long ol behaviors blong olgeta. But Thompson, what are some of your precautionary steps, if you have any?
TRANSLATIONS: I think as well like Rosina you touched on it with and example that Thompson shared earlier on in this episode, it was you know if the girls are going out then they will all chip in to stay at a motel in town as stopping a bus to go back home they know that their safety is already at risk. And so that’s a big thing, it sucks in a way that we have to do that but it’s something that it is what it is in a way because we need to stand up and really speak out more on this topic and hold these drivers accountable for their behaviors. But Thompson, what are some of your precautionary steps, if you have any?
 
TN: Thank you again Elsie. I do have some steps or say some precautionary ways that helps me avoid any situation we mi kam across long hem. So wan long olgeta hemi blong mi mek sua se mi gat credit long fon blong mi, olsem yumi bin harem Rosina i bin talem about olgeta we oli stap long surroundings blong yu nomo, komuniti blong yu o ples we yu stap long hem, long eria we yu stap long hem, olgeta nomo bae oli save mekem problem tu. So mifala i gat sam, bae mi no talem se mi no talem nogud olgeta, be i gat sam yangfala we bae sam taem long medel blong wik nomo bae oli stap dring and askem mani. And already bae mekem mi mi gat olsem concern, so taem we mi stap gobak long haos let mi mek sua se mi gat credit blong olsem ia mi ringim ol parents blong mi blong letem olgeta save se “ok I’m coming back home now, could you please let someone up blong i kam wet long mi antap long ples we bae mi go stap long hem afta mitufala tugeta jes wokbaot i kam bak daon long haos”. So hemia hemi wan, otherwise walking around with pocket knives, I’ve been thinking about it but I hardly see myself stabbing someone for defense.
TRANSLATIONS: Thank you again Elsie. I do have some steps or say some precautionary ways that helps me avoid any situation that I come across. So one of the things that I make sure that I do is to have credit in my phone, like we heard Rosina mentioned how it can sometimes be those in your surroundings, your community, or where you are staying, or your area, that it is them that can cause problems. In my area there are some, I don’t want to talk bad about them but there can be some times like in the middle of the week where they will get drunk and ask for money on the streets. And already this causes concern, so when I am going back home late I make sure that I have credit so I can call my parents and let them know that “ok I’m coming back home, could you please let someone up to wait for me so we can both come down to the house”. So this is something, otherwise walking around with pocket knives, I’ve been thinking about it but I hardly see myself stabbing someone for defense.
 
E: Yeah.
 

TN: But no I don’t walk around with one, I just go around with credit, data. I know data long ples ia hemi quite expensive but this is what safety is all about, you have to take extra cautions about your whereabouts. So taem we mi stap gat data mi stap updatem ol places we mi mi stap long hem and mi no save long sam long yufala but for me, sam taem bae mi stap updatem by posting on my day.
TRANSLATIONS: But no I don’t walk around with one, I just go around with credit, data. I know data here is quite expensive but this is what safety is all about, you have to take extra cautions about your whereabouts. So when I do have data I like to update the places of where I am and I don’t know about others but personally I update my location by posting on my day.
 
E: True.

TN: Yes, even mi go aot long ples ia and I’ll just post and they’ll see and say “last taem we hemi stap long hem mifala luk day blong hem ia hemi stap long ples ia”. So hemi jes wan wei we mi mi stap mekem, mi no save about ol nara man, maybe mi nomo mi stap mekem be this is one of the things we mi stap mekem tu long saed blong sefti blong mi taem mi stap go long wan ples, mi tekem foto se at least ol man oli save se I was there, I went there. But please you have to have credit always and keep your phone charged, I think that’s one of the things we mi mi stap tekem blong sefti blong mi.
TRANSLATIONS: Yes, like wherever I go out I’ll just post and they’ll see and say “the last place that he was at we saw on his day and he was here”. So it’s just something that I do, I don’t know about other people, maybe I’m the only one that does this but it’s something I do regarding my safety so that when I go somewhere, I take a photo so that at least people know where I was. But please you have to have credit always and keep your phone charged, I think that’s one of the things that I do for my safety.
 

E: Very true! Thompson, that’s such a smart idea, posting on your stories like every hour I’m here, I’m here, I’m here.
 
TN: Yeah some may say it’s you know,
 
E: Just for the likes.
 
TN: Yeah, just for the likes. But no not for me honestly, I’m just doing this for my safety guys.
 
E: No, but that makes sense and that’s a smart way, because everybody’s on their phone these days.
 
TN: Yeah.
 
E: So that’s another smart precautionary step that more people could take and do when they’re just doing their thing. I think another precautionary step that I was waiting for one of you guys to mention but maybe it’s just a me and my circle of friends thing, is when a friend jumps on a bus, if my friend jumps on a bus I automatically text them or take note of the color of the bus, the number plate, if there’s any details of the driver, I’ll take that down. And then it’s following up with my friend like “did you get home, can you please message me when you get home”, that kind of situation. And I feel like, Rosina yu tu bae yu save talem if that’s something that you and your friends do, but I remember there was this one time where I stopped a bus for my friend and I will make it obvious to the driver that I’m taking down the number plate. And the bus driver, as he was driving by hemi singaot i kam long mi se “yu tekem gud namba plet blong mi?” and I was like “yes I did, I got your number plate”, and I texted my friend. And in my head I was like, because he said it in a laughing, a joking way.
TRANSLATIONS: So that’s another smart precautionary step that more people could take and do when they’re just doing their thing. I think another precautionary step that I was waiting for one of you guys to mention but maybe it’s just a me and my circle of friends thing, is when a friend jumps on a bus, if my friend jumps on a bus I automatically text them or take note of the color of the bus, the number plate, if there’s any details of the driver, I’ll take that down. And then it’s following up with my friend like “did you get home, can you please message me when you get home”, that kind of situation. And I feel like, Rosina, you can say if this is something that you and your friends do, but I remember there was this one time where I stopped a bus for my friend and I will make it obvious to the driver that I’m taking down the number plate. And the bus driver, as he was driving by, called out and asked “did you take my number plate?” and I was like “yes I did, I got your number plate”, and I texted my friend. And in my head I was like, because he said it in a laughing, a joking way.
 
TN: Yeah.
 
E: And I was like this isn’t funny, hemi sefti blong fren blong mi. And maybe for some men it’s funny to them, that we are taking these steps to ensure that our friends, our family get home safely. But it’s not a joke, it’s not funny and this is one of the precautionary steps that mi wetem ol fren blong mi i stap tekem. I hope other people can relate.
TRANSLATIONS: And I was like this isn’t funny, it’s just for the safety of my friend. And maybe for some men it’s funny to them, that we are taking these steps to ensure that our friends, our family get home safely. But it’s not a joke, it’s not funny and this is one of the precautionary steps that I take with my friends. I hope other people can relate.
 
RK: Yeah. I remember this one time when mi wetem ol fren blong mi, mi gat tu fren we mifala i stap long Beverly Hills mifala i kam daon be from i tudak finis afta taem mi fraet, mi no save why be mi fraet blong stopem bus long naet. Afta mi kerap mi talem long tufala se “bae yumi mekem wan plan naoia, bae yumi go yumi go createm wan group chat blong yumi”, long sem taem mifala i createm wan group chat blong mifala tri, from nomo blong mifala i stopem bus. Ale narawan hemi stap go long Ohlen afta mi mi stap gobak long Seaside. So mifala i go stanap long Freswota 3, mifala i stanap ia blong stopem bus ale mitufala i talem long hemia we hemi live daon nomo long Freswota 2, mitufala i talem long hem se “bae yu nao yu tekem plet namba blong bus”. So mifala i putum hemia we i go long Ohlen fes wan, hemi stanap behaen nomo i raetem plet namba blong bus ia finis. Afta mi bakegen mi go stopem nara bus mi go long hem mi notem daon plet namba blong bus finis, taem we mifala i stap long bus hemi text hemi se “yutufala i kasem haos yutufala mas sendem wan meseg i kambak bakegen long group chat ia talem se ‘arrived safely’ blong bae mi save se yutufala i arrive finis”. So we do that, i fani be again hemi blong sefti blong yumi. Be taem mi harem Elsie i stap tokbaot to do with the plate number, wan nara samting hemi sapos yu yu wan yu wantem stopem bus, hemi better blong yu identifiem o yu karem plet namba blong bus bifo we yu go insaed long bus. Taem we bus ia i stap kam longwe, yu stanap long rod yu sakem han blong yu taem yu stap lukluk bus be yu stap luk plet namba ia tu sem taem traem blong memorisem o tingbaot plet namba ia. Taem we bus i kam stop yu jump in, sapos we eni samting i happen yu wantem jump out o wanem be at least yu tingbaot bus finis from sam taem taem yu jam aot long bus afta yu kasem wan kill o wan injury bae yu stap filim pain long bodi blong yu bae yu nomo save focus long hem se “bae mi karem namba blong bus olsem wanem?”, be yu notem daon long fon blong yu o wea finis. Hemi better blong yu tekem bifo we yu jam insaed long bus.
TRANSLATIONS: Yeah. I remember this one time when my friends and I were at Beverly Hills and about to come down but it was already dark so I was afraid, I don’t know why but I am afraid of stopping a bus at night. So I told them “let’s create a group chat”, and at the same time we created one for the three of us just because we were going to stop a bus. One of us was going to Ohlen and I was going the other way to Seaside. So we went and stood at Freswota 3 and while waiting we told the one who lived at Freswota 2 that “you’re going to have to take down the plate number of the bus”. So my friend who was going to Ohlen got on a bus first, and we stood and took the plate number of the bus. And then I stopped my own bus and noted down the plate number, when we were each in a bus we texted and said “once you get home send a message to the group chat again and say ‘arrived safely’ to know that you’ve arrived at home safely”. So we do that, it’s funny but it’s all for our safety. But hearing Elsie mention the plate number, another thing is if you’re stopping a bus alone, it’s better to identify or take down the plate number before you get in the bus. When the bus is coming your way, you stop it but at the same time you’re already memorizing the plate number. And when you get and anything happens that you want to jump out but at least you’re thinking about the bus because sometimes jumping out of a moving bus can cause an injury or something even more serious, and so whilst you’re feeling that pain in your body you won’t be able to focus on the bus saying “how am I going to get the plate number?”, but you already noted it down in your phone or wherever. Thus it is better to take it down before you get on the bus.
 
E: That’s such a good tip and that’s something that I will need to do now. Mi tingbaot wan taem mi bin mekem be hafhaf, I got the color of the bus, the make of the bus but I didn’t get the number plate. So that’s a good precautionary step to take as well.
TRANSLATIONS: That’s such a good tip and that’s something that I will need to do now. I remember I had done that one time but not fully, I got the color of the bus, the make of the bus but I didn’t get the number plate. So that’s a good precautionary step to take as well.
 
TN: Sori Elsie, mi bakegen. Mi mi bin harem yutufala i bin mentionem smol about the plate number thing, mi mim fogetem blong mentionem, but it’s also wan practice we mi wetem ol grup blong fren blong mi mifala stap mekem evri taem bifo wan i jam long bus o eni wan we i jam long bus long mifala o wan long mifala i jam long bus, mifala i stap praktis blong karem plet namba fes taem. Some people, olsem ol draeva especially, bae oli tekem quite offensive from bae oli tekem se you don’t trust them, but it’s part of your safety. Mi tingbaot i bin kam long wan situation we, mi no save yufala i bin harem wan stori about waet box bus stap go raon long Port Vila ia, smol taem ia i mekem evriwan oli fraet ia and ol gel specifically ol gel memba long grup blong fren blong mifala, olgeta oli stap fraet blong jam long bus. Mi bin harem wan i bin talem se bifo hemi putum fren blong hem long wan bus hemi tekem plet namba, be hemi wan waet box bus, oli tekem plet namba blong waet box bus ia ale afta ating bus draeva i tekem se hemi a bit offensive afta oli no trastem hem so hemi no soem long reaction blong hem be hemi soem long hao we hemi stap respond. So taem we fren ia wetem draeva oli aot i go, mifala i jes stap harem stori behaen se taem we tufala i aot ia bus draeva wetem ol pasenga behaen ia, evri ples we bus draeva i go long hem bae bus draeva i se “mi stap go fes taem long Ohlen finis ale afta bae mi aot long Ohlen”, olsem hemi stap talem ol neks destination blong hem wantaem in a way blong bae mekem ol pasenga oli fil se oli trastem hem. So ating hemi wan long ol action tu we sapos yumi tekem bae i click long bus draeva se “they’re doing it for their safety, I might as well show them that yeah you can trust me”.
TRANSLATIONS: Sorry Elsie, me again. I heard you guys mention a little bit about the plate number thing, I also forgot to mention but it’s also a practice that my group of friends and I do everytime before one of us is getting on a bus we practice getting the plate number of the bus. Some people, drivers especially, sometimes take offense from this because they see it as you don’t trust them, but it’s part of your safety. I remember there was a situation where, I don’t know if you’ve heard the story of the white box bus that was going around Port Vila, and at this time everyone was afraid and specifically the girl members in my group of friends, they were afraid of getting on a bus. I heard that before they put our friend in the bus they got the plate number, but it was a white box bus, so they took the plate number but maybe the bus driver took it a bit offensive so they didn’t trust him as he didn’t show it with his reaction but with the way he responded. So when that friend left with the driver we just heard later on that when they were on the road that bus driver would say “I’m going to Ohlen first then we’ll come back this way”, so he was clearly stating his next destinations in a way that the passenger could see that they could trust him. So this might be an action that if we took it would click to the driver that “they’re doing it for their safety, I might as well show them that yeah you can trust me”.
 
E: Absolutely, I have yet to meet a bus driver like that. But I’m glad that he did that, I’m glad that there are people out there, or men out there who understand that ol pasenga blong hem olgeta oli stap tingbaot sefti blong olgeta. And he has the responsibility as well to get them to where they need to go safely. So yeah, that was a great example long storian blong yu Thompson, thank you so much. I think this episode was just an opportunity for us to talk about the extra steps that women and girls have to take when it comes to moving from one place to another whether it’s on public transport or walking. It’s these little steps that ensure our safety but it’s also something that not everyone experiences, so I feel like from our discussion today we’ve realized that it’s just the women and girls who are taking these extra steps. Thompson thank you so much for sharing your experience, you did mention that you haven’t experienced a situation where you felt your safety was at risk and I believe some of your other male friends have gone through the same, they haven’t gone through that kind of experience where they felt that their safety was at risk. I do understand wetem ol storian we oli stap kam kamaot naoia long social media with groups of boys stopping other men, other boys on the road asking for money and then choosing violence if they don’t get what they want. That’s a very recent thing, but I still believe that the issue with safe transportation for women is still very big as well. And so what I’m trying to say is the problem isn’t how women and girls move from one place to another, or what time. Like Rosina, yumitu bin talem tedei se women feel more safe to travel when the sun’s out, not when it’s dark. But it’s more, that isn’t the problem, we’re trying to highlight the fact that there are men out there who are choosing to assault, choosing to take advantage of these women who come into the transport and harass them. And at the end of the day, hemi shud stap long han blong olgeta, they should be the ones to take responsibility for their actions and not have it turned around. Because there are some situations we bae ol man oli blamem ol woman mo ol gel. Why were you walking at this time? Why were you walking alone? Why did you stop a bus alone? You should’ve done this, you should’ve done that. When in fact, it’s the person who did it, it’s the men who choose this type of behavior. So thank you again long yutufala we yu save joinem mi long episode ia, it was a very insightful conversation. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, for being open, for feeling comfortable to share.
TRANSLATIONS: Absolutely, I have yet to meet a bus driver like that. But I’m glad that he did that, I’m glad that there are people out there, or men out there who understand that these passengers are just thinking about their safety. And he has the responsibility as well to get them to where they need to go safely. So yeah, that was a great example from your story Thompson, thank you so much. I think this episode was just an opportunity for us to talk about the extra steps that women and girls have to take when it comes to moving from one place to another whether it’s on public transport or walking. It’s these little steps that ensure our safety but it’s also something that not everyone experiences, so I feel like from our discussion today we’ve realized that it’s just the women and girls who are taking these extra steps. Thompson, thank you so much for sharing your experience, you did mention that you haven’t experienced a situation where you felt your safety was at risk and I believe some of your other male friends have gone through the same, they haven’t gone through that kind of experience where they felt that their safety was at risk. I do understand these stories coming out on social media with groups of boys stopping other men, other boys on the road asking for money and then choosing violence if they don’t get what they want. That’s a very recent thing, but I still believe that the issue with safe transportation for women is still very big as well. And so what I’m trying to say is the problem isn’t how women and girls move from one place to another, or what time. Like Rosina, we mentioned today that women feel more safe to travel when the sun’s out, not when it’s dark. But that isn’t the problem, we’re trying to highlight the fact that there are men out there who are choosing to assault, choosing to take advantage of these women who come into the transport and harass them. And at the end of the day, this should be in their own hands, they should be the ones to take responsibility for their actions and not have it turned around. Because there are some situations where some men will blame women and girls. Why were you walking at this time? Why were you walking alone? Why did you stop the bus alone? You should’ve done this, you should’ve done that. When in fact, it’s the person who did it, it’s the men who choose this type of behavior. So thank you again to the both of you for joining me this episode, it was a very insightful conversation. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, for being open, for feeling comfortable to share.
Conclusion
E: Make sure to check us out on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok at Sista Vanuatu and our website sista.com.vu. This is Elsie, from The RoundTable. If you want to hear more from The RoundTable podcast, make sure to tune in to the next episode.