Worrying data released by the British Transport Police has indicated that violent attacks against women on Britain’s railways have increased by more than 50% since 2021.

The number of crimes against women and girls rose from 7,561 in 2021 to 11,357 in 2023, according to figures from its annual report, which also found that most assaults occur during the evening rush hour when trains are packed and busy. Some 51% of female victims shared that other rail passengers had intervened to try to help, yet only one in five people who witnessed incidents of sexual harassment reported it to police.

The number of sexual offences that included leering, catcalling, touching, pressing, upskirting or indecent exposure jumped 10% over the same period, while sexual harassment reports doubled, the data first reported by The Times revealed.

Violent attacks against women on trains have increased by more than 50% since 2021