More than 2,000 sexual offences have been reported on the rail community final yr, grim figures present.
Some 2,336 sexual offences have been dedicated on trains throughout the nation within the 12 months between December 2022 and November 2023, in response to a Freedom of Information request to the British Transport Police (BTP). The information, compiled by the Liberal Democrats, confirmed that 13,632 violent incidents and 1,863 robberies additionally occurred on trains over the identical interval.
More than a 3rd of ladies have been victims of sexual harassment or sexual offences whereas commuting by practice or tube, a survey by BTP discovered on the finish of final yr. Last month BTP launched a marketing campaign urging rail passengers to report sexual harassment and assault.
The Your Piece of the Puzzle marketing campaign makes use of the phrases of actual victims whose info led to a serial intercourse offender being apprehended. It emphasises the significance of all experiences from the general public in piecing collectively the profile of an offender. “Their moving accounts of their experiences highlight how, despite experiencing them separately, they weren’t alone and together through reporting to BTP, they ensured a serial sex offender was jailed,” BTP mentioned.
Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney mentioned: “Women deserve to feel safe on public transport, yet these alarming figures risk telling a different story. Rather than making sick jokes on the subject, the Home Secretary must do his job and produce a strategy to tackle this surge in sexual offences.” Her celebration is looking for a return to area people policing throughout the nation, in an effort to cut back.
Head of Crime and Public Protection on the BTP, T/Detective Chief Superintendent Sarah White, mentioned: “Tackling sexual offences is a key precedence for us as a drive and we’ve devoted taskforces and specialist groups to detect and examine sexual offences and harassment.
“We know that these crimes commonly go under-reported. Disrupting and deterring robbery and violence across the network is also a significant priority for BTP. We use a variety of tactics to ensure journeys stay safe including uniform and plain clothes patrols, thousands of CCTV cameras, and intelligence driven policing.”
Speaking about BTP’s campaign, temporary Assistant Chief Constable Paul Furnell said: “Every piece of information we receive, whether it’s from a victim themselves or from a bystander can play a part in a wider investigation against an individual. They may have made a sexual remark to you on the train, but the day before they could have sexually assaulted someone else. Your information may be the missing piece which leads us to identify the offender and secure justice for all their victims.”