An undercover investigation into the safety of women on London's public transport system revealed pervasive harassment, with one journalist experiencing multiple instances of unwanted attention, verbal abuse, and physical contact within hours. The inquiry, conducted by Mimi Yates for the Daily Mail's 'Underground UK' series, exposed a chilling reality for women navigating the city's transport network, even during daylight hours.
During a two-month period, Yates traveled across seven London Underground lines at various times of day and night, secretly recording her experiences. On one journey alone, a man followed her, sat next to her, and persisted in trying to engage her in conversation despite her clear discomfort. He followed her off the train and onto another, continuing his unwanted advances. In another incident, a man on the Jubilee Line repeatedly demanded her phone number and then stroked her thigh, prompting her to ask him to stop.
Systemic Issues and Reporting Failures
The investigation mirrored findings from a March report by the London Assembly, which described unacceptable levels of violence against women and girls on the capital's public transport. While thousands of sex-based offenses against women and girls are recorded annually, a small fraction result in charges or summons, with a significant percentage identifying no suspect at all.
One woman, Esme Rice, recounted being sexually assaulted and groped on the Elizabeth Line. After reporting the incident, she received an automated response and waited 13 hours for a call back from British Transport Police (BTP). Her experience, shared on TikTok, led to hundreds of women sharing similar stories, highlighting a widespread lack of trust in the reporting process.
Rice also detailed a previous incident on the Jubilee Line where a man masturbated over her during rush hour. Despite her screaming and taking photos of the perpetrator, the case was closed within two weeks due to an inability to make a positive identification, a situation exacerbated by issues with CCTV.
Challenges with CCTV and Evidence
A significant obstacle in prosecuting offenders appears to be the inconsistent availability and retention of CCTV footage. In numerous cases, police requests for footage have been denied due to missing recordings, system faults, unusable footage, or recordings being overwritten. This is partly due to Transport for London (TfL) and rail operators setting their own retention periods, with no legal requirement for working CCTV on passenger trains.
Furthermore, three major London Underground lines lack sufficient CCTV coverage in carriages, a consequence of older trains being unable to support the necessary equipment for prosecution. This gap between official advice and the reality of evidence collection leaves many women feeling their reports are not adequately addressed.
Perceptions of Safety and Proposed Solutions
Experts note that the enclosed nature of the Tube, coupled with limited staff presence and poor phone signal on some lines, contributes to the feeling of vulnerability. Susan Leadbetter, a transport design expert, stated that while the oldest parts of the Tube were not designed with modern safety considerations in mind, improvements like visible staff, functional cameras, and better lighting on platforms could enhance safety. She cautioned, however, that design alone cannot solve the issue of inappropriate behavior.
The idea of women-only carriages has been raised, with a petition gaining traction. Camille Brown, who proposed the idea, looked at systems in cities like Tokyo and Mumbai. However, Leadbetter expressed reservations, emphasizing the need to address current issues like working CCTV and staff presence. She also pointed out that harassment often begins at a low level and escalates because perpetrators face no consequences.
The murder of Sarah Everard in 2021, by a serving police officer, brought national attention to women's safety. More recently, in June, BTP secured the first sentence in England and Wales under new sex-based harassment legislation on railways, when David Stroud was sentenced for attempting to kiss a woman on a train. This landmark case acknowledged that behavior often dismissed as "banter" can be criminal.
Despite these developments, many women feel let down by the authorities. Yates's own experience of reporting a physical assault led to her being told CCTV footage might have already expired or that the line in question lacked coverage. TfL stated it is working with police to make the network hostile to offenders and is committed to improving CCTV, while BTP urged the public to report incidents to 61016, noting an increase in reporting confidence.
For many women, the cumulative effect of these experiences, even minor ones, can erode their sense of safety. As Yates concluded, while not all men on the Tube behave this way, one negative encounter can be enough to permanently alter a woman's feeling of security.