According to a 2020 report on sexual harassment by the Government, more than a quarter (28%) of incidents from the previous 12 months had occurred on public transport.
If you want to report any behaviour on a train that has made you feel uncomfortable, or want to report an incident you have witnessed, you can text British Transport Police on 61016 to let them know what happened, where and when.
By using the service, you will not need to prove whether an incident is a criminal offence, as British Transport Police will lead on the investigation.
Reporting an incident to the police can prevent it from happening again and no matter how small or trivial it may seem; officers are trained to deal with all sorts of cases and will treat them seriously. Texts can also be kept anonymous (only on rare occasions if there's a safeguarding concern will BTP need to contact you), but any details you can include to help officers identify the individual can help.
Examples of such incidents may include:
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Groping
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Masturbation
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Rubbing against someone
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Someone exposing themselves
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Taking photos of a sexual nature without consent
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Sexual comments
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Leering
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Indecent acts
Always call 999 if it is an emergency and you need an urgent police response. An emergency would be when someone is injured, their life is threatened or in danger, a crime is happening right then, or someone who is a suspect of a crime is nearby.
In addition to the 61016 texting service which is monitored 24/7, you can also email first_contact@btp.police.uk or phone 0800 405040.
You can also choose not to report the incident, as some individuals may prefer to forget about it and move on. If you’d like to understand what happens if you report an incident using the text service, further details can be found here.
More information on the support available by British Transport Police can be found on their website. You can report other crimes or incidents to British Transport Police here.
Should you wish to report an incident and receive support from the University, you can do so via the incident reporting portal.