Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) arrests and (b) prosecutions in relation to cases of violence against women and girls on trains in the last five years.
The British Transport Police (BTP) are responsible for policing the rail network in England, Scotland and Wales. The force has provided the following information on arrests and prosecutions against female victims for Violence, Sex and Public Order (Serious) offences in the previous 5 calendar years.
Arrests
Year* | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
Number of victims | 819 | 930 | 1156 | 1132 | 1222 |
Prosecutions
Year* | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
Number of victims | 956 | 1031 | 1207 | 1197 | 856 |
*To note 1) passenger numbers were reduced in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which resulted in reduced numbers of crimes and arrests; 2) Arrest and any subsequent prosecution may not occur in the same calendar year.