Violent attacks against women on trains rise by more than 50%

[IwantToRetire]

The number of violent attacks against women and girls on Britain’s railways has increased by more than 50 per cent over the past two years, according to official figures.

Violent crimes have risen from 7,561 in 2021 to 11,357 last year, while the number of sexual offences has risen by 10 per cent from 2,235 to 2,475 over the same period. The number of cases of sexual harassment reported over the same period has doubled, to 1,908.

A survey commissioned by British Transport Police found that over a third of women have been subjected to sexual harassment or sexual offences while commuting by train or tube.

The survey found that 51 per cent of those who have been victims of sexual offending said that other passengers had tried to help them. Crime data shows that most sexual offences take place during the evening rush hour period, between 5pm and 7pm, on busy train carriages.

continues at https://www.thetimes.com/article/violent-attacks-women-girls-public-transport-rise-by-50-percent-bs8dq38hr

Can also be read at https://archive.is/jLH9r

I find this so sad that nothing is done about this. I had hoped things would be better for women today. I used to be harassed at least once a week on public transport in the late 1980's.

I can beleive that a woman was raped on a train in front of other passengers and nobody did anything.

Hard to believe this is true.

But as it is, another gloomy outlook for women.

That was extraordinary

If we're serious as a society about reducing violence against women (and in general) we need long term strategies for making society more equal, with particular focus on gender inequality.

blogs.worldbank.org/en/dev4peace/can-gender-equality-prevent-violent-conflict

That's a huge increase I do hope it is due to the improved reporting system.

this struck me as odd to include "The survey found that 51 per cent of those who have been victims of sexual offending said that other passengers had tried to help them."
What are we intended to take from that?

I very much doubt that it's just or even largely due to better reporting. As for the 51% to me it says that 49% of the time noone cared what was happening and looked away and the rest of the time someone atleast said something but it probably didn't help much

My DDs' experience was from football fans, before noon so on their way to the match at Wembley. As a group they were vile to two teenage girls and that was as the train drew into the platform. The DC decided to give it a miss and get the next one. Their older brother was with them and he felt utterly powerless to protect them except to say let's wait.

Sadly I can well believe this report

yep, it's a massive increase over just two years ☹️

I agree the "half the time no one tried to stop a sexual assault" is not at all encouraging- I wondered why they published (or requested I suppose) the data. It just feels odd to me but I can't put my finger on why - I mean the idea that a perpetrator feels comfortable to act in full public view is obviously extra grim anyway but it feels a bit "did anyone try to help you? well there you are that's ok then"

It's diminishing??? I (clearly) cant articulate what's bothering me!

It's diminishing??? I (clearly) cant articulate what's bothering me!

I think that why they are asking about this is that it is also what is so disturbing for women. Knowing that others would just stand by. Even if you were being raped people would just stand by.

But not saying everyone should be a street hero.

I suspect the the 51% that helped didn't physically intervene but tried to contact the guard (oh they dont have them any more do they?) or the police.

Maybe the next focus is share info on how to intervene. Some non violent intervention.

I wonder if the reaction of other passengerst would be the same if it was a young person or child.

I was on a train once when a young an went totally beserk. A threat to himself and others.

At the next station stop everyone in the carriage ran off the train. But one woman stayed with the young man just quietly talking to him. I think he was more surprised that anything.

Not wishing to underplay the numbers of attacks or the impact on those who have been attacked BUT
at the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, in 2021 there were far fewer journeys due to Covid lockdowns. The two years are not remotely comparable to show a trend of an increasing number of attacks. Shoddy reporting.

Shit I didn't even think about that 🤦‍♀️

Ahh bloody hell *IWFH *thank you for the timeline highlight!

Surely all crimes have gone up from 2021 to today. 2021 was towards the end of covid and still had lockdowns and many people staying inside more.

How about compare 2019 with 2023?

Its not "shoddy" reporting. It is about a new attempt by Transpot Police to get more women to report violence against them on trains.

As it is a new project it only has 2 years figures.

The article is reporting what the new project is saying.

And had figures from earlier been collected it could just as likely show that there was a decrease during Covid.

But quite honestly, just focusing on is it a real increase or not, rather than the substance, ie women being attacked seems rather disrespectful of the women who have been attacked, and been brave enough to come forward.

I remember an incident on a tube train many years ago, where I heard a young lady yell and run up the train, a tall, well built male sat near her but would not take his eyes off her, she was very young, probably a teen dressed casual, long hair and no makeup.

I was watching them both, he was having fake conversations with the police on his phone speaking none stop she was absolutely petrified, fortunately she was with a young man so she was not alone. When this creep stood up and made a bee line for her, my instincts just kicked in and I spun round, and blocked him so she was in front and he was behind me....... She mouthed the words 'thank you' to me.

Predatory behaviour of this creep just wound me up so much I just had to do something, I could not ignore it, I am quite petite just under 5 foot so short stature and the idiot toweted over me (6 foot) but I had no fear.

I suspect he may have had a disorder of some kind, it was impossibke for me to tell, he just went into a big mood stormed off down the tube and sat down with a face like a slapped arse.

I'm like ' I don't believe that just happened'

2021 was still pandemic times and people were using the trains less frequently.

I would be more interested in figure from 2019

Bring in women only carriages . At least half the train. Would improve things for most women.

https://www.historytoday.com/sending-females-rail-history-women-only-carriages
An old (2015) but interesting article with suggestions about why this hasn't worked well in the past.

Hardly as you know it won't be women's only it'll be women and any men who claims to have womanly feelings so mixed sex still but the decent blokes won't be there

This sadly doesn't surprise me. I feel a lot less safe on trains since covid, there is a lot more horrible behaviour. I agree though that this is probably coupled with women and girls being more inclined to report incidents.

I wonder if clearer duty to rescue & good samaritan laws would help? I've no idea of the UK's stance on either, which doesn't seem right.

I was on the tube this week when a big man dressed in a flowery skirt and cardigan walked very deliberately up the length of the half-empty carriage, stopped at the end door to adjust his balls through his skirt, then, at the next station, got out, got into the next carriage and started walking down that one. He probably went through the whole train. I got the feeling, from the way he looked down the carriage as he adjusted himself, that he was hoping for a challenge, but everyone stared at the floor awkwardly.

I think one of the reasons train designs moved to open carriages was because of sexual assaults. I remember some compartments didn't even have corridors, so women and girls had no safe way of escape once the train was moving.

I wish that this national emergency of misogynistic violence could be dealt with as enthusiastically as the recent public disorder.

Sex equality. Gender is a social construct.

IWFH most of the article talks about trains in the 1880s! While we might hope that things were different now , life has changed for the worse for women travelling. In whose interest is it for men and women to be crushed up together in overcrowded carriages? Agree that there will be some men trying to access but a little female solidarity, as shown in India , would deal with them. Ok maybe one third women only , one third mixed and on third men only. Let’s see which one women will choose these days.