WORKING TOGETHER TO TACKLE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN & GIRLS

In 2023, we held a special operation with the British Transport Police to raise awareness around personal safety when travelling. As well as handing out leaflets, 500 panic alarms were handed out to women and girls as well as to retailers in Victoria Station.

We spoke to one of the PC officers from British Transport Police on Thursday evening at Victoria station. He talked positively on how successful the responses were from members of the public that used the service.

One incident he mentioned was regarding a woman that reported abuse on a train by several men, who had previously commited several offences. By sending a text along with a description, officers were able to quickly get to the station and arrest these individuals.

If you find yourself in a situation where you or someone else is experiencing hate crime, and it’s less urgent, then this text messaging service offers a quick solution and activates an immediate response. A simple 61016 text can initiate an immediate response to British Transport Police and help to tackle sexual harassment and hate crime on public transport.

When asking PC officer Ryan if we should report a crime even if it’s just a low level he said, “Yes, because we want to stop a criminal in their tracks before it potentially becomes something worse later. Even if you are not sure if it’s a crime or not, you should still report it so the police can investigate.”

Overall, it was a successful evening collaborating with The British Transport Police.