One in five LGBT+ people abused on public transport

More than 80 per cent of LGBT+ people surveyed by London TravelWatch said they did not report their abuse to the police

More than 65 per cent of those who had experienced abuse when using public transport said bystanders witnessed the incident but did not intervene. (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

One in five LGBT+ people have been harassed or faced abuse whilst travelling on public transport in London in the past year, a new study suggests.

The 600 person survey by London TravelWatch found that four out of five respondents change their behaviour or appearance to “fit in” so they can avoid abuse or harassment when travelling.

Two out of three of those who had experienced abuse or violence when using Transport for London (Tfl) said bystanders witnessed the incident but did not intervene.

London TravelWatch said many LGBTQ+ people it spoke to have little confidence or trust in the police, with more than 80 per cent respondents not reporting their abuse to the police either because they felt they would not be able to do anything, or for fear about how they or their report might be handled.

Two-thirds of those survey felt there was always a possible threat of violence or harassment when using Tfl.

Michael Roberts, chief executive of London TravelWatch, said: “We already knew that LGBTQ+ people had serious concerns about their personal security on public transport, but our findings lay bare the scale of the problem.

“Two-thirds of LGBTQ+ people reported that they had experienced at least one form of victimisation on public transport in the last year. Worryingly, more respondents said London had become less safe in the past five years, than those who thought it had become safer.

“Our report highlights a community on constant alert when travelling around the capital, unable to express its identity and feeling unsupported by the wider public and the police.

“This situation should not be accepted anywhere in a tolerant society and certainly not in a vibrant, diverse world city such as London.”

Siwan Hayward, Transport for London’s director of security, policing and enforcement, said: “We want everyone to feel safe and be safe when travelling around London at all times without fear of abuse, and hate crime has absolutely no place on our network.

“We are committed to ensuring all passengers and staff are protected from harm and we have a bold and clear campaign across our network which encourages customers and staff to stand in solidarity against hate and abusive behaviour.

“We will continue to work closely with LGBTQ+ groups and stakeholders in response to the London TravelWatch recommendations to ensure that no one ever faces abuse or discrimination for who they are.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Furnell of British Transport Police added: “We conduct highly visible patrols and dedicated operations across the railway to ensure the safety and security of passengers and staff.

“Our officers are ready to respond to incidents of hate crime immediately, and with access to more than 150,000 CCTV cameras across the rail network they can quickly identify offenders and make arrests.”