06 Dec Personal safety over the festive period
Transport for London (TfL) and the Metropolitan Police are working together to maximise personal safety over the winter period.
TfL is encouraging all passengers on their network to report any incidents of sexual harassment, because reporting not only helps the individual, it also leads to a safer network for everyone.
Any behaviour that makes others feel uncomfortable should be considered sexual harassment. A list of the things that should be reported can be found here.
Reporting and logging incidents helps TfL and the police know where and when incidents are occurring so that measures can be put in place to prevent them.
Reporting incidents also means that they can be investigated by the police. Many people who commit offences and sexually harass others on public transport are repeat offenders, and every report helps the police to identify them and take action against them.
Reporting is important but there are other things you can do to support fellow passengers. TfL encourages people to look out for and support one another if something doesn’t feel right – perhaps by doing any of the following:
- Get help by texting British Transport Police on 61016 – always dial 999 in an emergency. You can also speak to a member of transport staff, use a help point or passenger alarm
- Engage in conversation with your fellow traveller about something unrelated, ignoring the offender and their behaviour
- Stand in between them and the offender, again, ignoring their behviour
- If you feel safe, and only once you have assessed the risks, you could record the incident on a phone. Keep a safe distance and give the recording to the police
Read more about TfL’s advice here.
TfL is also offering advice about the use of booked minicabs and black taxis to complete your journey. More details can be found here.