'Deeply concerning' spike in attacks against women and girls on Scotland's trains
Violence and sexual attacks against women and girls on Scotland's trains surged by a fifth last year, shocking data has revealed. More than 200 women were assaulted, harassed or faced unwanted sexual behaviour on the rail network between April 2024 and March 31 this year.
British Transport Police found 238 offences were committed against women and girls – up 19 per cent on the previous year. The surge in violence comes despite SNP ministers – who took ScotRail into public ownership three years ago – vowing to tackle violence against women and girls.
Rail union RMT chiefs had also warned about the impact of staff cuts to ticket offices. Women's groups slammed the 'deeply concerning' increase in violence towards women.
Jenni Snell, CEO of the Young Women's Movement in Scotland, said: 'These new statistics around violence and intimidation against women and girls on public transport are deeply concerning but unfortunately not surprising.
'Our Status of Young Women in Scotland 2024-25 research found that public transport is the place where young women feel the least safe – even when compared to other public places like parks or online spaces.
'The upward trend of these violent crimes is not happening in a vacuum.
'It reflects a wider, systemic rise in misogyny and abuse.'
British Transport Police chiefs revealed the grim findings at a meeting in Edinburgh last week. The rate of crimes solved also slumped by five per cent.
About two-thirds of these were violent crimes while more than 30 per cent were sexual – including sexual assaults, harassment, exposure and communicating indecently. There was also a 60 per cent hike in attacks on female staff.
A 2023 RMT survey found a third of female ScotRail workers have been sexually harassed.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: 'A 19 per cent rise in violence and intimidation against women and girls is wholly unacceptable.
'These figures back up what our women members have been telling us – the abuse is real, it is widespread and it is getting worse.
'The best way to prevent assaults and abuse of staff is a fully publicly owned, well funded and adequately staffed railway.'
The stats, discussed at BTP's Scottish railways policing committee last week, also show an alarming overall rise in crime on the railways. A total of 640 violent crimes were reported, up 16 per cent on the previous year.
Tory community safety spokeswoman Sharon Dowey said: 'If SNP ministers are serious about tackling violence against women and girls, these figures should be a wake-up call for them to ensure females feel safe at all times, including on our trains.'
ScotRail spent £1.6million last year to triple the number of body-worn cameras and hire workers to double staff late-night trains on problem routes as part of measures to improve safety.
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Customer operations director Phil Campbell said: 'We will continue to work closely with the British Transport Police to make sure people – particularly women and girls – feel safe while they're travelling.'
The Transport Scotland quango said a working group was set up to assess enforcement powers against antisocial behaviour on trains to consider 'where these can be strengthened or developed further'.
A BTP spokesman said: "There is absolutely no place for violent or intimidating behaviour on the railway network, whether it is targeted towards women and girls travelling across the network, or towards railway staff who are simply doing their job.
"We are aware that every offence is one too many, and we have officers across the rail network around the clock, at stations and on trains, to detect and deter crimes and reassure the public."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
23 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Scots creep made and shared deepfake naked pictures of school pal
The case is one of the first of its kind to appear in a Scottish court A CREEP used artificial intelligence to create deepfake naked images of his high school friend and shared them with pals. Callum Brooks, 25, altered two social media pictures posted by the woman on June 24 2022. Brooks used photoshop software to make the woman appear in a "state of undress" without her knowledge or consent. Brooks, of Glasgow's Easterhouse, claimed that there was "no sexual element" to his actions which was accepted by the Crown. Advertisement The first offender stated that he carried out the crime to show what the software did. Brooks pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to disclosing a photograph of the woman in an intimate situation without her consent. The case is one of the first of its kind to appear in a Scottish court. The court heard that Brooks and the woman had been friends at high school and remained in contact on social media. Advertisement Prior to the crime, Brooks obtained a software application which altered images using artificial intelligence (AI). Prosecutor Katie Malcolm said: "Brooks took two images from the woman's Instagram account which she uploaded online in which she was fully clothed. "Brooks then altered the images so that they showed the woman to be in a state of undress. "One was a full length image and the other was from the waist up. Advertisement Fears AI will destroy entire justice system by sending innocent people to JAIL with fake CCTV evidence & deepfakes "Brooks then sent the images to two friends." The hearing was told that the woman "knew nothing" about the images. Sheriff Anna Reid fined Brooks £335.
Powys County Times
2 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Ministers braced for further legal challenges after High Court Epping decision
Ministers could face further legal challenges over asylum hotels after a council was granted a temporary injunction blocking migrants from being housed there. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage hailed the High Court decision in Epping as a 'victory' and said he hopes it 'provides inspiration to others across the country', while the shadow home secretary argued that residents have 'every right to object' to people being housed in their area. The 12 councils where Reform UK is the largest party are understood to be exploring the prospect of legal challenges following Tuesday's ruling. The Home Office had warned the judge that an injunction could 'interfere' with the department's legal obligations, and lawyers representing the hotel's owner argued it would set a 'precedent'. Epping Forest District Council had asked a judge to issue an interim injunction stopping migrants from being accommodated at the Bell Hotel. The hotel has been at the centre of a series of protests in recent weeks after an asylum seeker who was staying there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Reacting to the news, Mr Farage said that 'young, undocumented males who break into the UK illegally should NOT be free to walk the streets anywhere. They must be detained and deported'. 'I hope that Epping provides inspiration to others across the country,' he said. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch suggested that the migrants housed at the hotel 'need to be moved out of the area immediately', while her shadow home secretary Chris Philp said that 'residents should never have had to fight their own government just to feel safe in their own town'. He said: 'Local residents have every right to feel safe in their own streets and every right to object when their community is treated as a dumping ground.' A Labour source said the move by the Tory-led council, who did not challenge the Conservative government when they were housing asylum seekers, was politically motivated and authority leaders were 'scared' of Reform. Asked on Tuesday why the council did not previously take legal action, Epping Forest District Council leader Chris Whitbread told the PA news agency: 'It goes back to 2020 when we were in the pandemic originally, and at that time, it was used for young families, women and children, which is completely different to having it used for single males. 'Obviously, we have always raised our concerns with the Home Office, whether it be the previous government or this government, we raised our concerns.' Border security minister Dame Angela Eagle said the Government will 'continue working with local authorities and communities to address legitimate concerns'. She added: 'Our work continues to close all asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament.' Meanwhile, the council leader for Borough of Broxbourne Council, Corina Gander, told PA the High Court's injunction set a 'massive precedent' and the council would gather 'more detail about what Epping has done' before considering a bid to shut down another hotel housing asylum seekers. Lawyers for the Home Office had warned the court that an injunction 'runs the risk of acting as an impetus for further violent protests'. Edward Brown KC also said the injunction would 'substantially interfere' with the Home Office's statutory duty in potentially avoiding a breach of the asylum seekers' human rights. Several protests and counter-protests have been held in the town since a then-resident at the hotel was accused of trying to kiss a teenage girl. Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu has denied the charges against him and is due to stand trial later this month. A second man who resides at the hotel, Syrian national Mohammed Sharwarq, has separately been charged with seven offences, while several other men have been charged over disorder outside the hotel. In a ruling on Tuesday, Mr Justice Eyre granted the temporary injunction, but extended the time limit by which the hotel must stop housing asylum seekers to September 12. He also refused to give Somani Hotels Limited, the hotel's owner, the green light to challenge his ruling, but the company could still ask the Court of Appeal for the go-ahead to appeal against the judgment. Piers Riley-Smith, for the company, asked the judge to be allowed to appeal against the ruling, citing its 'wide-reaching ramifications'. He said that there was a 'compelling reason for the appeal to be heard', including the 'precedent that would be set' by the ruling and the impact that it could have 'on the wider strategy of the (Home Secretary) in relation to the housing of asylum seekers in hotels as part of meeting their statutory duties'.
Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Witch trials memorial could be raised in West Dunbartonshire
During the next full council meeting, a motion to Remember the Accused Witches of West Dunbartonshire will be presented by Councillor Chris Pollok to recognise and pay tribute to the women and men accused of being a witch in the local authority area. Scottish charity, Remembering the Accused Witches of Scotland, established to promote and honour the memory of these people, are hoping to work with the council to teach the stories and history of the accused witches in schools and libraries. Where possible, they hope a memorial can be raised to commemorate the victims. The Scottish Government and The Church of Scotland issued apologies in 2022 over what had happened all those years before. In the 17th century, Dumbarton tolbooth stood near the entrance to the Artizan Centre, directly opposite Quay Street. The site where suspected witches were executed is thought to be located behind Church Street in the present council office car park. READ MORE: Glasgow shop owner fears cafe alcohol licence could affect his business Amateur historian and local resident Louise Wilson has been researching the subject, and her findings show that there were 31 accused of witchcraft in the area. Using accounts held by the library and researching the common good accounts, it was discovered that there were 27 women and four men that were persecuted for these supposed crimes. The motion reads: 'It is important to remember that these people were probably tortured and put through imprisonment before being executed in the majority of cases. 'There were many reasons a person could be accused of witchcraft including their religion or beliefs and the notion that certain people in the community were devil worshipping, and they had to be identified. Neighbours accusing each other of witchcraft over petty arguments. 'Missing a church service could have been enough to get the religious zealots to accuse you. The accused were often tied to a stake and strangled before being burned to death and their ashes swept away with no grave marker.' It also tells how the Scottish Witch Trials were a period of intense witch hunting and persecution in Scotland, lasting from the 16th to 18th centuries. They were particularly severe with Scotland executing more witches than most other parts of Europe. An estimated 3000 to 5000 people were accused with around 2500 executed; this was around five times the European average. Out of all those accused, it was thought that around 84 per cent were women reflecting prevalent societal beliefs about women's susceptibility to the Devil's influence. Names of the 31 accused witches of West Dunbartonshire 1624 Jonet MacKinley (executed) Marioun MacLintock (executed) Marioun Fallisdaill (executed) John Taylor (unknown outcome) 1628 Jonet Boyd (executed) Marioun MacLintock (unknown outcome) Janet Weill (unknown outcome) 1629 Janet Donald (executed) Jonet Neill (executed) Margaret Hunter (unknown outcome) 1630 Janet Mitchell (unknown outcome) 1632 Lord John Colquhoun (absconded) Thomas Carlipis (unknown outcome) 1643 Bessie Bargillie (executed) 1649 Margaret Corruith (executed) Jonet Davisonne (executed) Agnes McKen (executed) 1650 Jonet Patersone (executed) Margaret McMurich (executed) Jonet McClintock (unknown outcome) Jonet Colquhoun (executed) Margaret McInlay (executed) Jonet Ewing (executed) Jonet Stewart (unknown outcome) 1656 John McWilliam (executed) 1671 Jonet Howat (unknown outcome) 1677 Margaret Wright (executed) Issobell Laing (executed) Jonet Munn (executed) Margaret Paterson (executed) 1697 Margaret McKillope (executed)
