The number of sexual offences reported on London transport has doubled in five years.
The figures, released by Transport for London (TfL) also reveal a 36% increase in arrests for unwanted sexual offences on London’s transport network between 2014/15 and 2015/16.
It comes as a new hard-hitting video is released by TfL, British Transport Police, Met Police and City of London Police as part of joint campaign to encourage the importance of reporting unwanted sexual behaviour.
Since TfL and the police launched the Project Guardian partnership in 2013, with the aim of eradicating sexual offences on the transport network, the number of annual reports has doubled from 1,023 in 2012/13 to 2,087 in 2015/16.
Arrests for unwanted sexual offences rose from 406 in 2014/15 to 554 in 2015/16.
Building on the 2015 "Report it to Stop it" film, which has been viewed more than 13 million times on YouTube alone, the new campaign underlines that every report matters, is taken extremely seriously and provides valuable information to help catch offenders.
The film warns potential offenders that they could be caught at any time.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “Keeping Londoners safe is my top priority and I want all women and girls to feel confident travelling on our transport network.
'I urge Londoners to speak up and report unwanted sexual behaviour'
“This vital campaign highlights how any form of unwanted sexual behaviour is unacceptable, and victims must be given the right support when they report offences.
“By working together with partners, we can raise awareness of these crimes, give women and girls the encouragement they need to come forward, and bring perpetrators to justice.
“I urge Londoners to speak up and report unwanted sexual behaviour to the police immediately, if it happens to them.”
'It's never OK'
Siwan Hayward, TfL’s head of transport policing, said: “We are determined to eradicate unwanted sexual behaviour on the transport network.
“It is never OK.
“No matter how insignificant they feel it may be, every report is taken extremely seriously by police and investigated so the offender can be caught and brought to justice.”
To report unwanted sexual behaviour on public transport, either text 61016 or call police on 101.
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