Indonesia women feel more secure on female-only taxis
A new women-only transportation service has been developed in Indonesia to give the Muslim country’s women a chance to feel more secure.
The two-wheeled taxi, driven by women wearing headscarves, gives the women a more secure option to pass through the heavy traffic jam.
The new service, which only accepts women and children, has appeared in Jakarta through the past year.
"It is convenient because you needn't be troubled by the need to hold the waist or shoulders [of the driver], and you're more secure because you are protected from sexual harassment," said a 19-year-old woman.
The service, known as Ojesy, also began working in Indonesia's second-biggest city, Surabaya, in March. It currently covers 12 cities across the main island of Java.
"The need for transportation for women is huge, especially in big cities where rates of crime and sexual harassment are very high," Evilita Adriani, co-founder of a motorbike taxi company told AFP.
The services are slightly more expensive than others, but women in the world’s most populous Muslim country say they have better security measures.
"I feel more comfortable sharing a ride with a fellow Muslim woman," said Nurlaila, an Indonesian housewife.
The new service comes amid heightened safety concerns in Indonesia following reports of attacks on women by male motorbike taxi drivers.
The National Commission on Violence Against Women reported 293,220 cases of violence against women in the country last year.
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