Domestic Violence Prevention

Digital posters inside BART station

The San Francisco Asian Women’s Shelter (AWS) and artist Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya are partnering with BART to launch a domestic violence prevention campaign, “Let’s Talk About Us,” to reach Bay Area residents and BART riders. The public art campaign seeks to start a conversation on preventing violence before it starts and stopping it from reoccurring.

The campaign also provides resources for people experiencing domestic violence, for allies who want to offer support to someone they know, and for riders who witness it in the BART system.

Visit LetsTalkAboutUs.org

The website has a lot of helpful exercises and conversation prompts. There is help for starting hard conversations, including ways to just “check in” and how to address something you may have recently witnessed. The website also has self-directed questions for personal reflection on topics such as: Are you supporting girls in the same way you support boys? Are you helping take care of those in your community?

BART embraced the campaign and partnership in recognition that domestic violence happens in the BART system.

When looking at our crime data from the past 5 years, BART sees an average of 83 incidents each year on our property. These can include using violence against a parent, child, spouse or dating partner. It can include child neglect or violating a domestic violence court order. Our stations are often the location for child custody exchanges because we provide a neutral and public location for adults to meet. These exchanges can escalate.

As a transit agency, we can play a role in helping prevent and interrupt domestic violence.

The Let’s Talk About Campaign is a way for BART to help disrupt the patterns of harm impacting our most vulnerable riders, especially those from marginalized communities who are disproportionately victims of domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence.

BART Riders Can Use the Following Tools if they Witness Domestic Violence on BART or Need Help

Use the free BART Watch app to send a private message to police dispatch. An anonymous feature is available. Location services are enabled on the app but can be disabled in “permissions.” When enabled, your location is provided to police dispatch when you submit a report via the app.
Use the train intercom button to speak to the train operator. The call button is along the side platform doors of new Fleet of the Future cars, and at the end doors, near where you walk from one car into another, on the older legacy cars. On Fleet of the Future cars, the train operator will get an automatic video feed inside your train car when the intercom button is pressed. Older legacy cars do not have this feature.
Use the white phones/intercom buttoms located on the platforms to connect to a station agent. This phone will roll over to the Operations Control Center which is staffed 24/7.
Seek out any BART employee. Look for employees with a BART logo on their uniform. Frontline employees have received training on handling crisis incidents.
Call BART Police dispatch at 510-464-7000. You will speak to a police dispatcher. Always call this number or 911 for crimes in progress or emergencies.
Text BART Police dispatch at 510-200-0992.