So, there I was, messaging with Ebola a few minutes ago. I'd found this completely whack (to me anyway) story about parking problems and scofflaws at a "major" British airport. rather than pay to park, Ebola tells me it's a time-honored tradition (also in Germany, he says) to stuff your vehicle into the airport's access roads regardless of whether another vehicle can get by you or not. After choking at the quoted rates - £7 for fifteen minutes (like, GULP), which is set to rise to £10 for half an hour, and £15 for a full hour, I kind of understood the impulse to find a shoulder to put your car on. But I also sympathize with drivers wanting to beat the crap out of you for blocking the roads and airport access. We don't have that problem here.
All I could think was it's like highway robbery, only in a car park. I was hoping he didn't have to ever pick someone up there - circle the terminal, for crying out loud.
In the course of that discussion of cultural differences, he tuned me into some news breaking out of the BBC this morning.
BBC just released news that sexual crimes on public transport is up 50% and 2/3 women have had something happen on the train. Some horrible stats.
HOLY SMOKING GROPERS
What is going on in that former bastion of the most civilized behavior?
The number of recorded violent crimes against women and girls on the transport network has risen in the past year by 20%, the British Transport Police Authority has said.
More than 11,000 complaints were made in the year to March - compared with 9,464 the previous year.
Police say the sharp rise is likely to be down to more people reporting what has happened to them, rather than more crimes being committed.
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said the figures were "appalling" and the government would "relentlessly" hold publicly-owned railways to account.
Figures published by the authority overseeing the transport police show an average of 31 violent crimes a day against women and girls were reported.
Thirty-one VIOLENT CRIMES against women and girls a DAY?! Just because so many have to ride the trains for public transportation.
Interestingly, the timing of violent attacks and additional non-violent harassment "incidences" are stunning. It's not the middle of the night and a deserted platform.
Most occur on busy trains during the freakin' evening rush hour.
What has Britain come to that these creatures are so emboldened?
A British Transport Police survey found that around a third of women have been sexually harassed or subjected to other sexual offences while commuting on the train or Tube.
About half said fellow passengers had come to their aid.
...Most sexual offences take place on busy trains during the evening rush hour, between 5pm and 7pm.
Jess Phillips, who is the government minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said the figures were "unacceptable".
She added: "In this day and age, no woman should have to plan her journeys by public transport based on where and when she will feel safe, and yet that is the daily experience for millions of women whether they are commuting to and from work, or arranging an evening out with friends.
"Getting on a night bus or a near empty train to go home should not feel like taking your life in your hands.
What has happened to England in the past 20 or so years that this cultural swing has gone so horribly wrong?
Attacks on trains (let alone women on trains) were almost unheard of in the 80’s & 90’s. What’s changed?
There might be a few clues available.
I mean, what does a perp - if the police bother to apprehend him - learn by being forced to apologize if that's all the punishment he receives?
More than 2,000 sex offenders including rapists have avoided serious punishment in the past four years after being made to 'apologise' to their victims.
Offenders escaped getting a criminal record after the police and Crown Prosecution Service agreed to a 'community resolution' instead of taking them to court.
The orders, which involve criminals admitting responsibility for their offence and either apologising or paying compensation to a victim, were meant to be used for low-level crimes.
But data from the Home Office shows they were used to clear up 2,152 sex crimes in the past four years, including sexual assaults, grooming and flashing offences.
It means that every week more than ten sex offenders are escaping any real punishment and side-stepping the court system after being allowed to just say 'sorry' to their victims.
These predators are turned loose almost immediately - then back out to the street and trains they go to carry on.
In the past 4 years 2,152 sex offenders have not been prosecuted & instead apologised to their victims & paid compensation. The offences include sexual assaults, grooming & flashing offences.
— David Atherton (@DaveAtherton20) March 18, 2024
But among the offences were 11 r&pes of chldren.
Good God. https://t.co/wiF6E3HDHc pic.twitter.com/PMesIdtkXk
Not much impediment to recidivism there.
While the stalwart British police look for real criminals, like "keyboard warriors" and angry, little old British men whom they can pack away for 18 months for shouting words as opposed to keeping anyone actually "safe" from harm.
🚨Exclusive🚨
— David Atherton (@DaveAtherton20) August 14, 2024
David Spring was jailed for 18 months for shouting f**k Allah" & abuse at the police. A follower who is associated with the family tells us how vindictively he was treated by the system.
"Sir Mark Rowley organised the media to film the arrest & even the media… pic.twitter.com/jZDwB6ktJ7
..."Sir Mark Rowley organised the media to film the arrest & even the media putting out the name of the road they live in.
"David's wife is very ill & now worried that her home will get attacked as the front of her house was on the videos & in the news papers.
"David had already spent 22 hours in a police cell when originally arrested & the police knew he was his wife's carer & that he was not a flight risk but Rowley obviously wanted to make an example of David & at the same time make himself look good."
The proof is in the articles about the rise in the train attack statistics themselves. It's all argle-bargle about "failure," and "no woman should be afraid," and brave talk about how, if a feels so scared woman has to change her travel plans for her own safety, then this minister or that "has failed."
WE NEED MORE REPORTS!
...She also said people needed to be given "confidence to come forward" and make sure "action is taken".
Asked if she would be in favour of women-only carriages, she said: "The day that I ask women to be changing their behaviour to ensure they are not assaulted is the day you can take to the airways and say I had failed."
BTP has said tackling violence against women and girls is a priority.
A new app for reporting allegations – Railway Guardian – has been downloaded more than 146,000 times.
Head of Crime and Public Protection Detective Chief Superintendent Sarah White said: "We know that these crimes commonly go under-reported, that is why we continue to relentlessly campaign to encourage victims and witnesses to report to us - and with this we expect the number of reports to continue to increase."
It's "unacceptable," yes. But what are they going to do about it as they take all these reports?
What "action" is going to "be taken"?
About what you'd think since they've been at this action master plan since 2022. The British Transport Police Authority is going to defeat criminality.
Maybe they should focus on plain old policing before inclusivity and being special. It's awful hard to "earn trust and confidence" when you can only rely on half the passengers to come to your assistance and have to forget about the cops completely.
Particularly in a country hell-bent on taking your car away from you and forcing you into trains. Ever more dangerous trains.
BTP use a variety of tactics to police the network, such as high-vis and plain clothes patrols, and using specialist units.
— British Transport Police (@BTP) August 7, 2024
Help us keep the rail safe by reporting anything unusual. Tell an officer or rail staff, or text discreetly to 61016.
Always call 999 in an emergency. pic.twitter.com/wN6dDrujqf
By the by, folks in the comments are pointing out that some British mobile carriers don't recognize what they call "shortcodes" which is that 999 emergency number. People are asking what they're supposed to do in the meantime if they need to call.
Ever helpful, there's been no answer from the coppers.
I mean, sincerely. Whose side are they o...never mind.
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