TfL recorded five sex crimes at the four underground stations in Waltham Forest in 2023. In 2024, the number increased to 13, reports Sophie Mitchell
Sex crimes at four Waltham Forest underground stations more than tripled between 2023 and 2024.
Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice has obtained figures from Transport for London (TfL), showing that sex crimes at Walthamstow Central, Blackhorse Road, Leyton, and Leytonstone Station jumped from five in 2023 to 13 in 2024.
The overall number of tube station crimes in Waltham Forest dropped from 225 in 2023 to 204 in 2024. Since 2023, the most crimes have been recorded at Walthamsow Central, followed by Leytonstone.
Crime on the London Underground overall increased by 13% in 2024, with most reports coming from the Central Line. Theft is still the most common crime on the Tube, accounting for 60% of reports on trains and 40% in stations.
However, over 2,000 of the crimes reported were sex offences. Some of the increase in reported sex crimes is likely a result of awareness campaigns and the British Transport Police making changes in how they record intrusive staring and verbal harassment, some of the most common forms of sexual harassment on public transport. There still remains an underreporting problem in relation to sex offences on public transport like the London Underground.
Detective Chief Inspector Nia Mellor said: “We take every report of sexual harassment or violence extremely seriously. We know that these crimes commonly go underreported, which is why we relentlessly campaign to encourage witnesses and victims to report these offences to us.”
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