You can't escape, says victim of train sexual offence as reports rise

Reports of sexual assaults and bullying on UK trains have increased by over a third in the last decade, according to data obtained by a BBC investigation. Last year, 2,661 incidents were recorded across England, Scotland, and Wales. Alarmingly, one in ten victims were children, some under the age of 13.

The rise represents a 38% increase in sexual assault cases across the rail network since 2015. The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents train operators, called the rise a "concern" and stated that the group has "zero tolerance to sexual harassment."

Victim Accounts

The investigation highlighted experiences of passengers who felt trapped and threatened during incidents.

Rhiannon Williams, 18, described being sexually assaulted by a group of inebriated men while travelling home in West Wales this summer. "It was both uncomfortable and frightening," she told the BBC. "You're on a train, you can't go anywhere; you cannot get out. It definitely made me feel trapped."

Rhiannon, from Llanelli, believes the issue stems from the "normalization of these situations, the belief that boys will be boys, and it's something women should live with." She emphasized that these situations should not be accepted and make women feel "extremely threatened and uncomfortable." Sexual offences include rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment, which police define as anything that makes a person feel uncomfortable, such as staring, constant questioning, or catcalling.

Maddie Waktare, 30, shared her account of being sexually assaulted by a man sitting next to her on a crowded train from London Waterloo. She recalled the man "taking up more space than he needed to," with his body "encroaching" on hers, causing her distress.

"It was summer and I was wearing a dress, and he took my hand up the side of my thigh," she said. Maddie froze in shock. Although she eventually stood up and glared at him, she regrets not reporting the incident immediately. "I never thought I’d be someone who would freeze," she admitted, adding, "It made me realise how normalised it is in society."

Police and Government Response

The British Transport Police (BTP) stated that, despite the increase in recorded crime, sexual assault and harassment are still widely under-reported. Detectives were unable to identify a perpetrator in half of the 22,100 sexual assault reports filed over the past ten years.

To combat this, the UK government has pledged $\textsterling 17$ million to expand the BTP's access to station CCTV. This funding aims to ensure that criminals are identified and brought to justice more quickly.

The BBC probe also featured a case where a train conductor, Nicholas McMurray, 38, from Swansea, was sentenced to seven years in prison for sexually assaulting an 18-year-old passenger. McMurray, a Great Western Railway (GWR) train manager, was convicted of sexual assault and assault by penetration after changing into plain clothes and assaulting the woman on a journey between London Paddington and Swansea. He was arrested on the platform and immediately dismissed by GWR.

The BTP also notes that sexual offences involving children under 18 have trebled on the railways in the last decade, rising from 146 reports in 2015 to 443 in 2025.

Proactive Policing

Sgt Morgan Andrews explained that the rise in crime figures is partly due to an increase in intelligence-led operations involving plain-clothes officers trained to identify offenders. These undercover officers are actively looking for "people who are not getting trains" but are instead "getting up and down platforms trying to place themselves closer to lone females, or females that may be a little more vulnerable due to intoxication."

Det Ch Insp Mellor emphasized the BTP's commitment, stating, "No woman or girl should be made to feel ill on their rail journey... Unacceptable conduct on the network has ramifications and will not be tolerated. We are continuing to prosecute these criminals to account and ensure that the railway network is a safe place for everyone."

The government has also weighed in, stating that a rise in reports "does not necessarily mean more incidents are happening," suggesting it could reflect that more victims "now feel ready to come forward as a result of increased awareness and messages around the internet."

Anyone who experiences or witnesses sexual assault or harassment on the rail network is encouraged to contact the British Transport Police on 61016 with details about the incident, time, and location.