New rail industry campaign to crack down on sexual harassment
The rail industry launched a national campaign across Britain to tackle sexual harassment. Delivered in partnership with British Transport Police (BTP) and independent charity CrimeStoppers and supported by a range of charities including White Ribbon UK.
The campaign aims to send a clear message that all forms of sexual harassment are not tolerated on the railway. The campaign focusses on some of the behaviours that are sometimes perceived as ‘less serious’, such as intrusive staring and making sexual comments, as Rail Delivery Group research shows these non-physical incidents can be extremely distressing and frightening for those who experience them. The campaign also informs people of the action they can take if they see or experience sexual harassment by promoting BTP and CrimeStoppers reporting channels, and signposting towards the National Rail Enquiries Zero Tolerance Information Page, which provides information on how we can support each other, what happens next if you make a report, and information about available specialist support services.
The campaign messaging is being displayed across Britain’s railway through a series of posters on trains and at stations, including on big screens, as well as across social media, encouraging people to report instances where they feel unsafe. This will make it clear to perpetrators that their behaviour is not tolerated on the railway. The campaign will also be featured by other transport operators, such as Transport for London.
The rail industry expects that promoting a shared understanding of what sexual harassment might look like will make it easier for people to look out for each other and recognise when someone may be feeling uncomfortable and may need some support. This will also help people who see or experience it gain the confidence to speak up so that perpetrators can be held accountable for their actions.
This year BTP have almost tripled the number of officers who are specially trained to investigate sexual offences across England, Scotland and Wales and continue to complete plain clothed and uniformed patrols on the network.
Rail staff are being reminded of the role they can play in keeping passengers and colleagues safe, by following steps to: Be aware, Be concerned, Listen, Reassure, and Report. This advice is being shared throughout the industry via informative videos and leaflets.
The campaign supports the rail industry’s commitment to having no unsafe spaces on the rail network and follows previous campaigns to tackle unacceptable behaviour, particularly of a sexual nature.