Thousands of train station crimes are reported every year, and sex offences at stations across the UK have soared to all-time highs.The British Transport Police's (BTP) 2024 annual report showcased an ongoing issue since 2022 of sexual offences taking place at Gwent stations.

In 2022, the British Transport Police logged 13 sex crimes at Gwent stations, the highest number over the past three years.

A year later, the number decreased to 6 sex crimes.However, unfortunately, train stations in Gwent have seen a rise in sex crimes over the past year, rebounding to a total of 8. This has resulted in a percentage increase of 33.33% compared to a 10% increase across the UK, highlighting a worrying local trend and raising questions about the effectiveness of current safety measures at Gwent train stations.

A survey of 2,000 people commissioned by the BTP last year found that over one third of women had been a victim of sexual harassment or sexual offence on their commute. Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice also obtained figures on other types of crime that the BTP recorded over the last three years.

Since 2022, Gwent train stations have seen an increase in recorded crime, with notable jumps in violence and criminal damage. This suggests that sexual crimes has also increased but gone unreported. As stated by BP Detective Chief Inspector Nia Mellor, sex related crimes "commonly go underreported" as people fear that their experience won't be taken seriously.

This makes it hard for law enforcement to intervene with the ongoing issue. However, the Detective Chief Inspector explained that they "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."

Tackling sexual offences has now become the top priority at the British Transport Police. Nia Mellor explains that they "view this increase [in reports] 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."

Therefore, although a rise in sexual offence statistics at first looks worrying, in fact, it means crimes are being resolved that were otherwise missed.Detective Chief Inspector Nia Mellor urges that “if you experience or witness sexual harassment or a sexual offence on the railway... report it."

As with each report valuable information is provided that can be used to build a picture of an offender and often helps understand patterns and offending behaviours so that action can be made, and reoffenders can be stopped.Report a crime by texting 61016 or calling 0800 405040. In an emergency, always dial 999."

Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice provides expert claim and legal advice services for sexual abuse claims.They operate a 24-hour helpline and an online claim form, which can be accessed on their website.