The British Transport Police’s 2024 annual report shows that there has been a 10% rise in recorded sexual offences against women on railways from the previous year. The number is up from 2,246 to 2,475.

The report suggests that these rising figures may be because more women are reporting their experiences, rather than an increase in sexual crimes on public transport. But it’s likely that this is just a fraction of the sexual offences that take place.

A survey of 2,000 people commissioned by British Transport Police last year found that over a third of women had been a victim of sexual harassment or sexual offending on their commute. This doesn’t match the statistics in their annual report because a lot of women do not report their experiences. Many feel scared or embarrassed by what has happened to them.

In some cases, this embarrassment might be because some of women’s experiences of sexual offences on public transport are often not regularly discussed or taken seriously. These include indecent exposure and cyberflashing – often referred to as “flashing” and receiving unsolicited “dick pics”.

But terms such as these cause problems. They trivialise and normalise the traumatic experiences of victims, and might make women feel like they shouldn’t report them.

The threat of indecent exposure

Indecent exposure happens when a person intentionally exposes their genitals with the intent to cause alarm or distress. It’s a prevalent sexual offence and is generally committed by men against women and girls. But it has often been seen as a nuisance, something to brush off and laugh about, rather than an offence that can have a significant impact.

Victims have to make quick decisions about managing the threat to their safety while being exposed to. They need to consider whether they avoid any interaction with the offender, and if they can safely exit public transport without being followed.

These experiences of indecent exposure can have a lasting psychological impact on victims. Some women may change their behaviour and try to avoid the public spaces where the offence was committed.

Since publishing research on indecent exposure, I have personally received several accounts from victims who still think about their experiences decades later. It must be harrowing for women who have experienced this to have to get on the same bus or train again, wondering if they will see the man who sexually violated them.

Cyberflashing

Cyberflashing happens when an image of genitalia is sent with the intent to cause alarm, distress or humiliation, or to gain sexual gratification.

Cyberflashing is now a criminal offence. But it’s increasingly normalised, with many victims choosing not to report.

Official data about cyberflashing on public transport isn’t available because it is such a new offence. There is evidence to suggest that it is being regularly perpetrated on trains. Victims receive an explicit image via Airdrop or Bluetooth from someone on the same train as them. This technology allows images to be sent between people whose phones are in the same area, without them needing to be known contacts.

Victim accounts show the levels of fear this causes, as they know the perpetrator is probably sat somewhere near them. They do not know if they will follow them off the train, and have to revisit this trauma with each new train journey.

Making public transport safer

These latest figures show that women have reason to be be concerned when taking public transport.

Women will have the best insight into what would make them feel safer. It’s therefore extremely important for transport providers and policymakers to consult with women when coming up with a prevention plan.

However, this problem is not isolated to trains and buses. All male violence perpetrated against women and girls is influenced by misogyny and a view that women are inferior to men. Addressing this through education could be the key to reducing the number of women feeling unsafe on our public transport system.