The number of reports is slowly increasing(Image: Tom Wren SWNS)

Dozens of sexual offences have been reported on trains and at train stations across the area in the past three years.

Data from British Transport Police shows that, since 2022, there have been 60 sexual offences being reported on trains and at train stations across the Avon and Somerset Police force area.

In 2022, British Transport Police logged 16 sexual offences at train stations or on board of trains in the area, the lowest number of reported crimes over the past three years.

A year later, this number increased to 19 reported sexual offences and in 2024 – the latest data available – this rose again to 25.

BTP Detective Chief Inspector Nia Mellor said: “Tackling sexual offences is our top priority at British Transport Police, and we take every report of sexual harassment or violence extremely seriously.

“We know that these crimes commonly go underreported, which is why we relentlessly campaign to encourage witnesses and victims to report these offences to us. With this, we expect the number of reports to continue to rise.

“We view this increase as a positive sign that our efforts are paying off, and that women and girls are feeling more confident to report all forms of sexual harassment and violence on the rail network to us.”

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

Back in 2023, a survey by BTP found that a third of women have been victims of sexual harassment or sexual offences while commuting by train or tube.

Speaking to The Mirror, the RMT union said: “These statistics are utterly shocking and show the unacceptable levels of violence that passengers and our members face. We believe more staffing is essential to a safer railway.”

Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice said incidents of sexual offences at train stations may include indecent exposure or cyberflashing.

Detective Chief Inspector Nia Mellor added: “We are working tirelessly to stamp out this unacceptable behaviour.

“We have patrols of uniformed and specially trained plain clothes officers across the railway day and night to catch offenders and reassure passengers as they travel, along with access to over 150,000 cameras across the railway network, which can provide us with clear, high-quality images.

“Each report we receive provides us with valuable information which we can use to build a picture of an offender. Often it allows us to notice a pattern of offending behaviour so we can take action.

“If you experience or witness sexual harassment or a sexual offence on the railway, we urge you to report it to us by texting 61016 or calling 0800 405040. In an emergency, always dial 999.”

A spokesperson for Rail Delivery Group said: “Sexual harassment is a societal issue, and we all have a role to play in tackling it. As an industry our message is clear, any form of sexual harassment on the rail network is completely unacceptable and we are working with the British Transport Police to confront this problem.

“We know that harassment doesn’t just happen out of sight. As bystanders we can help to confront this problem by reporting incidents or making safe interventions. Our campaign to tackle sexual harassment on trains was created with BTP to highlight the different forms of sexual harassment and help people to think about simple actions they can take without putting themselves in harm’s way.

“We are committed to making everyone feel safe on the railway and want people to feel confident to report anything that makes them uncomfortable by texting the British Transport Police on 61016.”