Delilah Martinez, founder of The Mural Movement and owner of Vault Gallery, announced on Mar. 30 the launch of the “Protect Women. Period.” campaign to raise awareness about safety concerns for women and teens using Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) trains and buses.
The initiative aims to address ongoing fears among women and young riders regarding their personal safety while commuting. Martinez said she was motivated to act after hearing from teenage participants in her mentorship program, The Big Sis Club, who shared their apprehensions about public transportation.
“It made me think about how much I’ve adapted to normalizing creepy, weird and uncomfortable feelings from men in public,” Martinez said. She explained that these experiences are not unique to her but are common among friends, family members, and mentees.
Recent police data shows a rise in violent incidents on the CTA, with 66 aggravated battery cases reported as of March 22—a 50 percent increase compared to the same period last year. One notable incident involved a woman being set on fire on a Blue Line train in November.
The campaign calls for more community involvement in promoting a culture of respect toward women rather than placing responsibility solely on them to change their behavior. “Women, we’ve been yelling and screaming this is an issue since forever and nothing changes,” Martinez said. “Men listen to men.”
Chicago-based artist Korporate appears in one social media video stating that protecting women can be as simple as “understanding that no means no.” Other videos encourage men to intervene if they see someone in distress.
Pilsen Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez expressed support for the campaign’s efforts: “Instead of throwing the towel or pointing at the same draconian policies that fail these very same young boys…we want to make sure that these initiatives bring them in,” he said.
Martinez hopes city officials will back her efforts by installing ads across CTA platforms and sharing information about available resources for those affected by violence or mental health issues. She also wants survivors and those feeling unsafe to know they are being heard: “My goal is to make women understand that they’re being heard and noticed and this is not just getting brushed underneath the rug,” she said.
