Request ID: FOI-4530-2324 Date published: 27 March 2024
You asked
I would like to request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act. Please could you provide me with details on the following -
• The number of sexual assault incidents that took place on a Transport for London service and were reported to TfL in the calendar years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
• The number of sexual assault incidents that took place on the London Underground (including Elizabeth line) and were reported to TfL in the calendar years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
By sexual assault, I refer to the CPS's definition of when "one person intentionally touches another person sexually without their consent. The touching can be done with any part of the body or with an object".
By Transport for London service, I refer to all London buses, London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, London trams and river services operated and owned by TfL.
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-4530-2324
Thank you for your request received on 13 March 2024 asking for information about sexual assault incidents on our network.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.
We are committed to reducing crime across our network and we continue to work with our policing partners to put measures in place to reduce crime and keep customers and colleagues safe as they travel and work on our network. Tackling violence against women and girls on public transport has long been a priority for us and our policing partners, and concerted action has been undertaken for a number of years. In partnership with the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), British Transport Police (BTP), Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and women’s safety groups, we launched a campaign to highlight our zero tolerance approach to all forms of sexual harassment and sexual violence on the transport network in October 2021. The campaign highlights various forms of unwanted sexual behaviour that can take place on public transport and aims to send a strong message to offenders that sexual harassment and sexual assault is not tolerated on TfL’s services, and the importance of reporting incidents of this nature. The campaign was informed by research, including focus groups, the expertise of violence against women and girls (VAWG) campaign groups and the policing sector. Since the launch of the campaign, we have seen an increase in reports of sexual offences. October 2021 saw the highest number of reported offences since before the pandemic, and these increased levels of reporting have been sustained. The BTP is now also recording offences such as intrusive staring of a sexual nature and verbal forms of sexual harassment, which they didn’t previously. All this is contributing to a rise in reporting. Increased reporting can help our policing partners build a profile, which could prevent further incidences occurring.
We have made it easier for customers and staff to report crimes and encourage reporting of underreported crimes and sexual harassment. We currently publish our six monthly Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour reports as part of the papers for the Customer Service and Operational Performance Panel (CSOPP), which includes data on sexual offences and are available on our website:
Under section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act, we are not obliged to provide you with information which is reasonably accessible by other means.
Please note the following: o We receive crime records from both the BTP and MPS on a monthly basis, in arrears o The latest data available data we have received from the BTP and MPS is for December 2023 o The crime data consists of all modes (Bus, London Underground, London Overground, Trams, Docklands Light Railway, Elizabeth Line and Cable Car) and all crime types
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Gemma Jacob Senior FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
