Awareness drive sees rise in reports of London transport sex offences

Reporting of sex crimes on London transport have increased since the launch of an awareness campaign.

Over 2,400 sexual offences were reported on the Transport for London (TfL) network last year, up 53% from 2014/15 - when the 'Report it to Stop it' campaign was launched.

According to TfL the campaign has led to 1,500 arrests.

One victim told the BBC she was first sexually assaulted on the London underground aged 10.

"When I was 10 I was sitting on a bench on a tube platform waiting for the tube," she said.

"A middle aged guy sat next to me and started talking to me, and when I tried to move away he grabbed my arm and put his hands between my legs.

"Unfortunately it's not the only occasion I've been harassed. I don't have a single female friend who doesn't have a similar story."

The Met Police and British Transport Police launched the joint 'Report It to Stop It' campaign to encourage people to report any behaviour that made them feel uncomfortable to police.

A 2016 report found 90% of cases go unreported.

Rachel Krys, co-director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said: "Victims fear they won't be believed, or the legal system will further traumatise or fail to help them, or they'll be perceived as complicit.

"The majority of these offences happen during rush hour, dispelling the myth that this is anything to do with a late-night drinking culture."

Siwan Hayward, TFL's Director of Compliance and Policing, said: "Our Report It to Stop It work has had an impact on the reporting of sexual offences on the transport network

"We don't believe that unwanted sexual behaviour is okay and we're working with the police to catch offenders."

Sexual offences is the term used for a variety of crimes, including sexual touching, exposure, sexual comments or any other form of unwanted sexual behaviour.