Sexual Harassment Cases on Trains Still Occurring: How to Address Them?
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — Reports of alleged sexual harassment on rail transport continue to occur annually. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) recorded dozens of reports, with the majority of cases happening on electric rail services (KRL), particularly during rush hours.
In 2026, KAI has recorded 21 reports of alleged sexual harassment during the January–March period. The majority of reports occurred on KRL journeys, while some others took place on long-distance trains.
“We in 2026 in the first quarter, on KRL alone, received 18 reports. For long-distance trains, there were three reports,” said Vice President of Corporate Communication at PT KAI, Anne Purba, at Pasar Senen Station, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday (21/4/2026).
The figure combines incidents on both KRL and long-distance trains. Anne explained that the majority of reports received involve allegations of physical sexual harassment.
However, the number is considered relatively small compared to the total customer inputs received by KAI each year. Annually, KAI receives around 2 to 3 million suggestions, criticisms, and inputs from customers.
“Out of 2 to 3 million, there are about 50 sexual harassment reports. I see that in terms of percentage, it’s small, but we take even one harassment case seriously,” Anne clarified.
As follow-up actions, KAI focuses on protecting victims and preventing perpetrators. Efforts include operating CCTV analytics and implementing a blacklist for sexual harassment offenders.
“Furthermore, we will certainly cooperate with legal processes, both with the police and other stakeholders,” said Anne.
In addition, KAI has introduced a revamped ticketing feature that allows female passengers to choose seats near other women through KTP ID identification.
Although sexual harassment cases are still recorded, Anne urges the public not to hesitate to use train transport. She also encourages victims or witnesses to report incidents immediately.
“Don’t be afraid to take the train. We must be safe on public transport,” Anne stated.
“Report any incident that makes us uncomfortable, so we can realise safe transportation,” she added.
VP of Corporate Secretary at KCI, Karina Amanda, said the data was obtained from reports as well as monitoring of alleged sexual harassment cases on social media.