Sex crimes continue to rise on Scottish railway network

Glasgow Times

6 hours ago

Rape Crisis Scotland (RCS) - which provides a national rape crisis helpline and email support for anyone affected by sexual violence - has hit out after data released by Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice (SACA) revealed that the number of reported sex crimes at Scottish train stations is higher than it was years ago.
(Image: Image: Newsquest) Having obtained figures via FOI requests, SACA revealed that in 2022, the British Transport Police (BTP) logged 60 sex crimes at Scottish stations, before the number rose to 95 in 2023. There was a slight drop in 2024, with a total of 87 crimes reported.
Despite the small decrease, there has still been a 45% increase over the last few years.
The data also revealed that since 2022, there have been nearly 250 reported sex crimes at train stations across Scotland. However, a large number of women do not report their experiences, as many feel scared or believe their report won't be taken seriously.
(Image: Image of Sandy by Gordon Terris, Newsquest)
Sandy Brindley, chief executive of RCS, said: 'Whether these figures reflect an increase in the number of sexual offences being reported, an increase in the volume of offences, or both, women and girls should be able to use public transport in Scotland without fear of sexual harassment or assault. That is currently not the reality."
Brindley went on to say that the statistics also question where else these crimes are taking place, especially given the public nature of somewhere like a train station.
She added: 'While this absolutely raises questions about what can be done to make our public transport networks safer, we should be thinking about these figures more widely.
"If it's happening on public transport, it's happening elsewhere too, so the real question is: what can we do to tackle an alarming rise in sexual and misogynistic abuse?"
(Image: Image: Newsquest) The BTP assured that one of their key priorities is tackling violence against women and girls, and said they are campaigning for more people to come forward to report sexual offences.
A spokesperson for BTP: "Tackling violence against women and girls is a key priority at British Transport Police, and there is zero tolerance for it on the railway network.
"We know that these crimes commonly go underreported, which is why we relentlessly campaign to encourage witnesses and victims to report these offences to us. With this, we expect the number of reports to continue to rise. We view this increase as a positive sign that our efforts are paying off and that women and girls are feeling more confident to report all forms of sexual harassment and violence on the rail network to us."
One of BTP's campaigns was put into force during Taylor Swift's run of shows in Edinburgh when officers handed out 'friendship bracelets' - popular in the Swift fandom - to passengers. The bracelets had the digits 61016 on them, which is the contact number to text service officers to report non-emergency crimes.
In a bid to tackle the shocking rise, BTP went on to explain that they have patrols of uniformed and specially trained plain clothes officers across the railway day and night to both catch offenders and reassure passengers.
There are also over 150,000 cameras across the railway network, which can provide BTP with clear, high-quality images.
If you experience or witness sexual harassment or a sexual offence on the railway, you are urged to report it to BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 405040. In an emergency always dial 999.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or harassed, you are not alone. You can receive support from RCS by visiting www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk or calling their helpline on 08088 01 03 02.
Equally, you can contact SACA, which provides free expert advice on sexual abuse and rape compensation claims. They operate a 24-hour helpline which can be called on 0333 091 8597.