Melbourne Trams - attempted rape

Oct. 5, 2011 - PRLog -- Early 2000's during my time as a tram driver in Melbourne. It was after the conductors had been phased out, ticket machines had been implemented at this stage and drivers were a genuine one person operation, sitting ducks for violence and abuse. It was a weekend and late in the evening, approximately 10pm.

I had reached Camberwell Tram Terminus and had what they call 'lay up time' at the terminus. So, with approximately 15 minutes to spare at the terminus and no passengers around, I left the tram and stood at the tram stop stretching my legs.

I had been standing there for a few minutes when I saw some shadows approaching from behind me. Luckily the way the street lights were placed cast the shadow in the right direction so I knew someone was approaching from behind me, very quietly.

I quickly turned around and three young males proceeded to try and grab me and drag me across the road to where there was a bus stop and some bushes.

I put up a massive fight to break free from their grasp and did manage to get away from them. I ran in to the tram and locked myself in the drivers cabin.

I rang a friend and stayed on the phone until it was time to leave. Some other passengers boarded the tram, so I felt a bit safer, but these 3 men who just tried to attack me, also boarded the tram and jeered abuse at me all the way from the terminus to Camberwell station.

I did my best to ignore them and what had just happened. When they left the tram at Camberwell station, one of the males proceeded to lie across the tram tracks in front of the tram I was driving and was doing pelvis thrusts in to the road while his 2 other friends jumped on the front bumper bar of the tram and screamed through the window at me, "we're gonna F you, we're gonna F you."

At this stage in my career, I did not even report the issue to management or union. Both being so uncaring to issues of violence and at a constant level, failed to seriously take any attacks truly serious. There was no point in even reporting what had happened.

Nevertheless, these types of physical attacks continued more and more.

Shortly after this, I had a mental breakdown in a big way. The employers, Yarra Trams, nor the union, RTBU, Victorian RTBU were prepared or even cared to take any responsibility for the things that drivers were forced to see and deal with.

Of course authorities were there to hear you, but that was it, it was speaking to deaf ears, union fees nor employee rights meant or stood for anything.

# # #

MMAPP Band management. Melbourne, Australia
MMAPP is a company in Melbourne that focuses on band management.