85% say Rail has role in tackling Violence against women and Girls: Industry sets out Safety Commitments

A new survey of over 2,000 passengers, commissioned by Rail Delivery Group and carried out by 72point, reveals that for 9 in 10 people believe sexual harassment and violence against women and girls (VAWG) is an important societal issue. The overwhelming majority (87%) believe that more needs to be done to prevent and address these incidents in society. 

The findings also show that 85% of people believe the rail industry has an important role in addressing the issue of VAWG. The news comes as the rail industry sets out its commitments to work together and confront VAWG. These are:  

• Increasing the number of body-worn cameras on trains. This builds on existing momentum, with nearly 19,000 cameras now in use by staff.  

• Introduce mandatory and consistent training for all rail staff to better recognise and safely respond to sexual harassment. Both initiatives could have a powerful effect on passengers’ experience of travelling, as over half (56%) of those surveyed say increasing the number of body-worn cameras and training staff would make them feel safer.  

• Create dedicated passenger groups across the UK to focus on women and girls’ safety. This will establish forums for women to contribute to designing new stations and carriages with safety in mind.  

• Develop a standardised reporting system for sexual harassment across all train companies, a measure that will be critical as more train operators move into public ownership under Great British Railways. Three in five (57%) agreed on the importance of promoting more systematic reporting of incidents. 

• Appointing a representative on the board of every train operator to ensure incidents of sexual harassment are consistently reported and reviewed at the highest level.  

Building on these commitments, the rail industry is hosting an industry-wide conference dedicated to addressing violence against women and girls on public transport. The Minister for Local Transport, Simon Lightwood MP, will set the challenge for representatives from the UK’s railways to work with policymakers, women’s safety campaigners, businesses, and British Transport Police, to identify what else can be done to create a safer transport environment for everyone. 

Jacqueline Starr, Executive Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Rail Delivery Group, said: “As an industry our message is clear - any form of sexual harassment on the rail network is completely unacceptable and the rail industry is working together and alongside charities and the government to confront this issue. 

“We know that harassment doesn’t just happen out of sight. As bystanders, we can also help to tackle this problem by reporting incidents and intervening when it is safe to do so. Everyone has the right to feel safe when travelling by train. We want people to feel confident to report anything that makes them uncomfortable by texting the British Transport Police on 61016.” 

Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood, said: “Everyone should feel safe on public transport, but all too often that is not the reality for many women and girls. 

“We’re determined to change this, and are committed to working with industry, including Rail Delivery Group, to tackle violence against women and girls on our railway, and make transport safer for all." 

Laura Bates, Author and Founder, Everyday Sexism said “At the Everyday Sexism Project, we see direct evidence of the devastating impact sexual harassment and abuse on public transport has on women and girls' lives. From verbal harassment to stalking, the taking of non-consensual images to indecent exposure and sexual assault, abuse manifests in myriad ways on the transport network. When women and marginalised groups are not able to safely access transport, it affects every aspect of their lives, from careers to leisure, education to exercise. We have been campaigning for over a decade to tackle sexual violence on the transport network and welcome this commitment from the industry to spotlight the problem and come together to find effective ways to take action.” 

Detective Chief Superintendent Pete Fulton, British Transport Police said: "We take a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment and sexual offences. Tackling violence and intimidation against women and girls is a key priority for the force. 

 Events like today's industry-wide conference are vital in addressing this epidemic of behaviour on public transport. Bringing together key stakeholders and partners to discuss how we tackle this and how by working together we can make the rail network safer for everyone 

 “We take all reports of unwanted sexual behaviour seriously and would encourage the public and passengers to save our text number 61016, so they can discreetly report incidents to us."  

Collective responsibility  

This new research also shows the vital role that rail passengers can play in helping fellow travellers feel safe. Over 90% agree that bystanders should play a vital role in supporting victims of abuse or harassment against women and girls.  

If they saw unwanted sexual behaviour or harassment on a public transport, over half (62%) said they would ensure the victim is okay, and half (50%) would report the incident to rail staff and/or British Transport Police. Over a third (37%) said they would distract the perpetrator with a question, a way to intervene that has been promoted in recent campaigns by the rail industry.    

The Rail Delivery Group’s Zero Tolerance campaign provides clear guidance and practical tips on how bystanders can safely intervene if they witness harassment or assault. Using an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) film shown at stations across the UK, RDG is providing passengers an opportunity to experience how situations can develop and what actions any travellers can take to de-escalate the situation in the moment. 

This research reinforces the power of collective action – from industry reforms to individual interventions – in building a safer railway for everyone. By working together, the rail industry, government, campaigners, and passengers themselves can create a transport network where no one has to feel unsafe or unheard.