Women and girl’s safety locally is a huge concern of mine, and it was an issue many of you raised with me on the doorstep during the election campaign.
Readers may recall in 2021 I conducted a local survey asking residents where they felt unsafe, and concerns in and around train stations came up repeatedly. I subsequently held meetings with local police, the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott, Southeastern, and the community safety team from Sevenoaks District Council, and there were many positive outcomes. These included a commitment for CCTV to be upgraded at our stations, Sevenoaks District Council setting up a page of information for women with safety concerns, the Police and Crime Commissioner commissioning a women’s safety enquiry, and Southeastern creating a dedicated Safeguarding team working closely with British Transport Police.
However, the recently published annual British Transport Police report indicated a 20% national increase in recorded violent offences against women and girls, and 10% more sexual offences. So, last week I reconvened a meeting with The British Transport Police (BTP), Sevenoaks Police, Southeastern and the Community Safety Team Lead from Sevenoaks District Council to updated me on where we are locally.
I was relieved to hear that in comparison with this stage last year (April to March) overall crime reports are down locally. More pertinently, violence and intimidation against women and girls so far is around two thirds less than the previous year. These are encouraging statistics, and a big thank you goes to BTP, Southeastern and their staff for this. Much of this is down to CCTV on trains, and at our stations, which makes such a huge difference when it comes to identification. However we must continue to strive for further improvements.
And, there are certain steps we can all take to help.
If you, or anyone you know has any problem on a train, please always report it to the police or the conductor. They will take your concerns seriously, and there is a strong possibility, with the aid of CCTV, that even if the suspect leaves the train, they will be identified later. BTP can be reached on 0800 40 50 40 – although if a crime is taking place or it is urgent, you should dial 999.
You can also download the Railway Guardian app (https://www.btp.police.uk/police-forces/british-transport-police/areas/campaigns/Download-Railway-Guardian/) which allows you to report crimes or concerns on the rail network, share your journeys with trusted contacts, and get access to news, guides, or support.
Or, text 61016 and report a crime or concern to BTP. Everyone should have this number saved on there phone, so please do share it with your friend and family. The text service is free for the major network providers, however I understand a number of smaller providers charge. This is not acceptable, and I have therefore written to the relevant Minister to seek support from the Government to put pressure on other providers to make this service free.
