Sexual harassment against women and girls up 50% on British railways

Incidents of sexual harassment against women on British railways have more than doubled since 2021, according to new data.

Figures from the British Transport Police Authority’s 2024 annual report showed the number of crimes against women and girls rose from 7,561 in 2021 to 11,357 in 2023.

The number of sexual offences jumped 10% over the same period, while sexual harassment reports doubled to 1,908.

A separate British Transport Police (BTP) survey last year found more than a third of women have been victims of sexual harassment or sexual offences while commuting by train or tube.

Crime data shows that sexual offences occur during the evening rush hour, between 5pm and 7pm, when trains are packed and busy.

Unacceptable behaviour such as leering, catcalling, touching, pressing, upskirting or indecent exposure is being experienced by women more than ever.

The survey also found 51% of victims said that other passengers had tried to help them. However, only one in five people who have witnessed incidents of sexual harassment reported it to police.

BTP said the increase in such offences was because victims were more willing to report them because of “efforts across the network”.

The force has launched a Railway Guardian app, which allows people to report crimes anonymously, and the 61016 text service for the reporting of incidents.

Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, described the level of violence, harassment and sexual offences against women on public transport as “unacceptable”.

She told The Times: “In this day and age, no woman should have to plan her journeys by public transport based on where and when she will feel safe, and yet that is the daily experience for millions of women, whether they are commuting to and from work, or arranging an evening out with friends.

“Getting on a night bus or near empty train to go home should not feel like taking your life into your hands.

“Whether these figures reflect an increase in reporting, an increase in the volume of crime, or a combination of the two, one thing is clear, the level of violence, harassment and sexual offences that women and girls are facing when using the transport network is completely unacceptable, and cannot be allowed to go unchallenged.”

BTP has been contacted for comment.

The force said in its report that it continued to “prioritise tackling violence against women and girls”.

On trains, the rail industry and BTP are rolling out a new, ongoing anti-sexual harassment campaign.

It aims to educate passengers on how to recognise situations of sexual harassment, how to intervene safely, and how to report perpetrators to keep all passengers safe from harassment while commuting to work, home, or wherever their destination may be.

BTP Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Furnell last year asked people to watch out and stand up for each other while catching the train or tube.

“I’ll guarantee that most of us have told our daughters, mums, or friends to be careful on their way home when they’re travelling alone late at night – perhaps to share their journeys and stick to well-lit areas,” he said.

“But we know that sexual harassment and offending can take place at any hour of the day, and our figures show that it’s most likely to happen at the busiest hours when carriages are most full.

“If we see something that isn’t right, doing something about it, whether that’s intervening, if you feel safe to do so, or reporting it to police.”