Top detective warns staring on the Tube should be prosecuted and calls on people to report incidents

Top detective warns staring on the Tube should be prosecuted and calls on people to report incidents of ‘unhealthy sexual behaviour’ after campaign

  • TfL launched a campaign aiming to protect women and girls from harassment
  • Posters were installed on trains saying ‘intrusive staring’ would not be tolerated
  • Reported sex offences hit the second-highest level ever in England last year

A top detective has warned that staring on the London Underground must be prosecuted and people should report incidents of ‘unhealthy sexual behaviour’. 

TfL (Transport for London) launched a campaign last month aiming to protect women and girls from ‘common examples’ of harassment, including upskirting, cat calling and exposing among others.

As part of the initiative, posters were installed on trains, saying: ‘Intrusive staring of a sexual nature is sexual harassment and is not tolerated.’ 

Det Supt Sarah White (above), a senior British Transport Police (BTP) officer, warned that suspects who stare are ‘starting to show behaviours that are unhealthy’

TfL (Transport for London) launched a campaign last month aiming to protect women and girls from 'common examples' of harassment

TfL (Transport for London) launched a campaign last month aiming to protect women and girls from ‘common examples’ of harassment

Det Supt Sarah White, a senior British Transport Police (BTP) officer, warned that suspects who stare are ‘starting to show behaviours that are unhealthy’.

‘It’s human nature to stare at things. However, it’s very different when someone is staring, leering, or there’s a sexual motivation,’ DS White told The Telegraph. 

‘We want to know about that staring because that is the behaviour that suggests to me that someone is thinking about a sexual behaviour that supports that staring.’

She added: ‘We will record them as crimes and we will investigate them – and we have had successful prosecutions in that field.’

As part of the initiative, posters (pictured) were installed on trains, saying: 'Intrusive staring of a sexual nature is sexual harassment and is not tolerated'

As part of the initiative, posters (pictured) were installed on trains, saying: ‘Intrusive staring of a sexual nature is sexual harassment and is not tolerated’

In a statement released at the start of its campaign, TfL said: 'Sexual harassment is a form of violence, most often directed against women and girls in public places'

In a statement released at the start of its campaign, TfL said: ‘Sexual harassment is a form of violence, most often directed against women and girls in public places’

In a statement released at the start of its campaign, TfL said: ‘Sexual harassment is a form of violence, most often directed against women and girls in public places. 

‘The safety of women and girls is an absolute priority for TfL and this new campaign is one element of TfL’s work to ensure everyone can travel with confidence.

‘The campaign aims to challenge the normalisation and dismissal of this behaviour as “something that happens” to women and girls on public transport and in other public spaces, making it clear that it is never acceptable and that the strongest possible action will always be taken.’

Rape cases soared to a new record last year in England and Wales while the number of reported sex offences hit the second-highest level ever.

Rape cases soared to a new record last year in England and Wales while the number of reported sex offences hit the second-highest level ever

Rape cases soared to a new record last year in England and Wales while the number of reported sex offences hit the second-highest level ever

There were 61,158 rapes recorded in the year to June, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). 

This was the highest ever recorded annual figure to date and included 17,285 offences between April and June – also the highest quarterly figure.

The second highest number of sexual offences was also recorded in the 12 months to June (164,763), an 8 per cent increase compared to the previous year. 

This was driven by the highest ever recorded quarterly figure (48,553) for the same three-month period in 2021. Rape accounted for 37 per cent of all sexual offences recorded by police.

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