A group of tram drivers in Milan have been suspended from their jobs while authorities investigate a WhatsApp group where they allegedly shared sexist and vulgar comments about photos of female passengers.
On Tuesday, Milan prosecutors placed at least one employee of ATM, the city’s public transport company, under investigation for allegedly accessing an IT system without permission and hacking into a CCTV system to obtain images of female passengers.
According to reports in the Italian press, authorities have also ordered searches of the homes of five other male employees and confiscated their mobile phones and other devices.
The drivers are accused of commenting on photos taken from CCTV that zoomed in on the legs, faces, breasts, and thighs of female passengers.
The allegations came to light after a woman riding the number 15 tram on Saturday noticed an off-duty driver, still in his uniform and sitting in front of her, looking at a WhatsApp group chat on his phone. The chat allegedly contained such images along with sexist comments and jokes about the women’s bodies.
Realizing the images came from CCTV—which is installed on every tram in Milan for safety reasons—she took a photo of the chat on the off-duty driver’s screen and sent it to a well-known feminist activist, who then reported it to ATM.
ATM, which is conducting an internal investigation, said in a statement: “ATM has acted quickly and with the utmost care to fully clarify the incident, verify the proper use of company equipment, protect customers, and support the thousands of employees who work correctly every day in service of the city.”
It is not yet clear whether the images came from the CCTV system on just one tram or several, or if they were shared beyond the group chat.
Marco Maria Donzelli, the president of Codacons in Lombardy—the Italian consumer watchdog that filed a formal complaint with Milan prosecutors—said: “This is a very serious incident that needs to be clarified. If the facts that have come to light are confirmed, we would be dealing with serious offenses punishable under our criminal code, which could also lead to civil claims for compensation from the victims.”
The leaders of several transport unions said in a joint statement that “respect for human dignity and gender equality are essential values.”
Online misogyny is a widespread issue in Italy. Last summer, there was public outrage after a pornographic website featuring doctored images of prominent women, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, was exposed.
Meloni criticized the circulation of AI-generated deepfake images of her in May, including one that showed her in lingerie.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the reported incident involving Milan tram drivers using WhatsApp to send sexist messages about female passengers
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What exactly happened with the Milan tram drivers
It was reported that a group of Milan tram drivers used a private WhatsApp group to share sexist lewd and degrading comments and photos about female passengers without their knowledge or consent
2 How were the messages discovered
The messages were leaked to the media which then published an investigation into the content of the group chat
3 Were any drivers fired or punished
Yes After the story broke the transport company launched an internal investigation Several drivers were suspended and at least one was fired Criminal investigations were also launched
4 What kind of things were they saying
The messages included objectifying comments about womens bodies sharing photos taken secretly on the tram and using extremely vulgar and degrading language They were reportedly rating passengers based on appearance
5 Is this just a boys will be boys issue
No This is considered a serious case of sexual harassment and a violation of privacy It creates a hostile environment for women and is a breach of professional conduct
Advanced Deeper Questions
6 Was this a widespread problem across the whole company or just a small group
Investigations suggest it was a closed group chat involving a specific number of drivers not the entire workforce However the fact that it went on for so long without being reported raises questions about workplace culture
7 What are the legal consequences for the drivers involved
They could face criminal charges for invasion of privacy defamation and potentially sexual harassment They also face disciplinary action from their employer including suspension without pay and dismissal
8 What is ATM doing to prevent this from happening again
ATM stated they have a zerotolerance policy They launched a full investigation suspended the accused drivers and announced plans to strengthen internal reporting systems and provide additional training on respect and equality in the workplace
9 How does this relate to revenge porn or nonconsensual image sharing
Its directly related The drivers were reportedly sharing photos taken without consent In many jurisdictions including Italy
