Struggling to reaching for a strap on a crowded bus. Stepping into a packed train car and looking for a small space of refuge. Waiting by yourself at a dark bus stop. Trying to run household serving errands on a public transit schedule that’s been designed for rush hour.

These are all-too-common experiences for women in transit — and illustrate why the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault must influence public transportation procedures, designs, and policies. Kicking off the new ITS lunchtime discussion series “Transportation is a Women’s Issue,” ITS associate director Madeline Brozen spoke with Dr. Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris, a professor of urban planning at the UCLA Luskin School and ITS faculty fellow, about women’s transportation needs, how transit agencies are and are not meeting these needs, and the role of sexual harassment in public space and public transit.

Watch the full discussion in the video below, and stay tuned for information about the next installment in the ongoing series.