Sexual harassment and assault have become a 'routine' part of commuting for women and girls on the London Underground, campaigners have warned, as new figures reveal reported offences have reached a five-year high.
A Disturbing Five-Year Peak
Data released by Transport for London (TfL) shows that 595 sexual offences were reported across all Tube lines in the 2024/25 period. This marks the highest level seen since before the Covid-19 pandemic. The offences encompass a range of crimes, including rape, sexual assault, and other related incidents.
More recent statistics from the British Transport Police indicate the trend is continuing. In just the seven months from April to October this year, commuters reported 341 sexual offences. Looking at the broader picture, there have been 6,475 reports made to police since April 2015, averaging out to roughly 1.7 every single day.
'A Persistent, Systemic Issue'
Farah Benis, Director of the Centre for Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls, described the figures as deeply 'concerning' but stressed they are not an anomaly. 'Sexual offending on public transport has been a persistent, systemic issue for years,' she stated. 'For too many women, this data reflects lived experience rather than surprise.'
Ms Benis noted that the increase in reporting could partly reflect greater public awareness and confidence in coming forward, which she called 'a step in the right direction.' However, she cautioned: 'But that shouldn't distract from the reality that women and girls continue to experience routine harassment and assault as part of daily travel.'
Georgia Theodoulou, Head of Partnerships at Our Streets Now, echoed this sentiment, stating the scale of the figures is 'a reminder of the stark reality many women, girls and marginalised genders face when travelling or existing in public spaces.'
Central and Northern Lines Most Affected
The data, obtained via a Freedom of Information request and published on TfL's website, also pinpoints the most affected parts of the network. The statistics cover the Underground only, excluding the Overground, DLR, and Elizabeth line.
The analysis reveals stark differences between lines:
- The Central and Northern lines each recorded more than 1,000 assaults since 2015.
- The Bakerloo, Circle, and Hammersmith & City lines each saw fewer than 300 incidents in the same period.
At a station level, King's Cross was the location with the highest number of reports, at 118. This was closely followed by Oxford Circus (117) and Bank station (98).
In response to the figures, a TfL spokesperson reiterated that tackling violence against women and girls on public transport is a long-standing priority. They highlighted ongoing multimedia awareness campaigns launched since 2015, which aim to:
- Increase awareness of unwanted sexual behaviour.
- Reassure victims and improve confidence to report.
- Send a strong message to perpetrators that such conduct will not be tolerated.
TfL stated that rises in reporting following campaign activity were 'anticipated' and are seen as a positive sign that efforts to boost confidence are working. The transport body also confirmed work to enhance security, including the expansion of the CCTV network and the rollout of on-train CCTV on Central line trains.
