National Personal Safety Day, 9th November 2021

For National Personal Safety Day 2021 (Nov 9th), we are publishing a report titled 'Driving Out Violence and Aggression'. The right to travel safely is essential to our everyday lives, yet our recent survey shows the concerning prevalence of violent, aggressive, sexual and unwanted behaviours on public transport across the UK. This report complements existing research and awareness-raising on public sexual harassment in public places and on the rail network by capturing all forms of unwanted behaviours on public transport, from wolf whistling to physical assault, including bus, train, the London underground and taxi and private hire vehicles. With Covid-19 restrictions easing, we are seeing the UK population returning to public transport, and it is vital that everyone is able to do so safely.   

A shocking 88% of respondents to our survey experienced some form of unwanted behaviour on public transport in the past 5 years despite reduced footfall during the pandemic, with the most common behaviours being staring, intimidatingly sitting or standing right by someone and verbal abuse. Although unwanted behaviours affected all demographics in their lifetimes, women were more affected than male respondents (97% and 86% respectively) overall. Women were also more likely to experience sexual assault and rape in the past 5 years, as well as most behaviours which could be interpreted as sexual harassment or assault. Men meanwhile were more likely to experience behaviours amounting to physical assault.  The proportion of respondents who had experienced unwanted behaviours in the past 5 years was also higher among LGBTQ+ respondents and Black and ethnic minority groups. 

You can download the full report here:

National Personal Safety Day 2021: Driving out Violence and Aggression on Public Transport

Report & Support:

Raising awareness of report and support mechanisms for victims of unwanted behaviours is key. Please share this leaflet across your organisations and social media platforms to support UK passengers. 

To download the Report & Support leaflet in pdf click here: Report & Support

Press release:

Our press release is available here: Press release: National Personal Safety Day 2021

For press enquiries please email [email protected] or call 07747611308 

For any other matters you can email our general enquiries account at [email protected]