26.02.16
Campaign leads to 36% increase in sexual harassment complaints on London transport
Sexual harassment reports on London transport have increased by over a third in the past year following a campaign to encourage action on the problem.
The number of complaints was 1,603 between April last year, when the ‘Report It to Stop It’ campaign began, and December. This compared to 1,117 during the same period in 2014, an increase of 36%.
The campaign, by Transport for London (TfL), the Metropolitan Police Service, British Transport Police (BTP) and City of London Police, aims to tackle offences including rubbing, groping, masturbation, leering, sexual comments, indecent acts or the taking of photographs without consent.
Superintendent Chris Horton from BTP said: “Tackling all forms of unwanted sexual behaviour on public transport is an absolute priority for the BTP and we have worked hard in recent years to send a clear message to victims that they will be taken seriously and we will investigate offences.”
The campaign, which aims to send the message to victims that they don't have to prove that it was a criminal offence or intentional to report an incident, was promoted by a video, which has been viewed nearly four million times.
Uniformed officers are now carrying out a special week of engagement with the public on transport networks by giving out leaflets and advice on reporting unwanted sexual behaviour.
British Transport Police’s last campaign to encourage reporting of sexual harassment, Project Guardian, was launched in 2013 and followed by a national operation, Project Centurion.
Overall, reports of sexual offences on Britain’s rails increased by 25% in the past year.
Siwan Hayward, TfL's deputy director of enforcement and on-street operations, said: “The safety and security of all our customers is our top priority. Help us eradicate this kind of vile behaviour on the transport network by reporting it to stop it.”
To report an offence, call BTP on 0800 40 50 40 or text on 61016.
(Image c. Yui Mok for PA Wire)