Young women and girls are being urged to report sexual offences and harassment on London's transport network, following a 33% rise in reported incidents.

According to British Transport Police (BTP), 320 young women and girls aged 10 to 19 reported sexual offences and harassment in 2023, up from 240 in 2022.

Despite this increase, BTP believes many incidents still go unreported.

Among those advocating for greater reporting is 19-year-old Lex Gibbon from Hertfordshire. Gibbon recounted a frightening experience where she was followed through an Underground train station by a man who verbally abused and touched her. She reported the incident to the police, but noted, "At the time, I had no idea that 'text 61016' existed."

BTP's Assistant Chief Constable Paul Furnell emphasized the importance of reporting such incidents. “We’re receiving more and more reports about sexual harassment as people have had enough of this disgusting behavior and know we prioritize tackling it,” he said. “We use reports from multiple passengers to secure the strongest possible sentences for sex offenders.”

Furnell described the man's behavior in Gibbon's case as "completely unacceptable." He stressed that acting inappropriately on the rail network has serious consequences and encouraged people to use the 61016 text service or speak to staff if they experience harassment. “Nothing is too small to report and sexual harassment is never your fault," he added.

Siwan Hayward, from Transport for London (TfL), expressed deep regret over such incidents. “The safety of women and girls is an absolute priority for us, and we are committed to tackling sexual harassment, working closely with the police to make our capital’s transport network a hostile place for offenders,” Hayward said.

BTP continues to encourage women and young girls to report offences via their 61016 service, ensuring that no incident goes unnoticed and offenders are held accountable. Photo by Phil Whitehouse, Wikimedia commons.