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| Labour MP says 'merit' in women-only train carriages | Labour MP says 'merit' in women-only train carriages |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Women-only train carriages could combat the rise in sexual offences on public transport, a Labour MP has said. | Women-only train carriages could combat the rise in sexual offences on public transport, a Labour MP has said. |
| Shadow fire minister Chris Williamson said it would be "worth consulting" on the policy after such crimes doubled in the past five years. | Shadow fire minister Chris Williamson said it would be "worth consulting" on the policy after such crimes doubled in the past five years. |
| However, Labour colleagues have criticised the move as "normalising attacks". | However, Labour colleagues have criticised the move as "normalising attacks". |
| Party leader Jeremy Corbyn first suggested the policy during his leadership election campaign in 2015. | Party leader Jeremy Corbyn first suggested the policy during his leadership election campaign in 2015. |
| Mr Williamson, MP for Derby North, highlighted figures from the British Transport Police, showing 1,448 sexual offences on trains had been reported in 2016-17, compared with 650 incidents in 2012-13. | Mr Williamson, MP for Derby North, highlighted figures from the British Transport Police, showing 1,448 sexual offences on trains had been reported in 2016-17, compared with 650 incidents in 2012-13. |
| He told PoliticsHome that women-only carriages - which have been tested in countries including Japan, Brazil and Mexico - could create a "safe space". | He told PoliticsHome that women-only carriages - which have been tested in countries including Japan, Brazil and Mexico - could create a "safe space". |
| Later, he told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show: "I'm not saying we should go down this road at all, I'm merely suggesting that we consult on it. | |
| "If there is support for it, then providing an additional carriage to provide that safe space for people if they wanted it, offering that choice I think is worth looking at." | "If there is support for it, then providing an additional carriage to provide that safe space for people if they wanted it, offering that choice I think is worth looking at." |
| He told the programme there was a "clear need" for better security and more guards to tackle the problem, but that gender-specific trains could be an "idea worth exploring". | He told the programme there was a "clear need" for better security and more guards to tackle the problem, but that gender-specific trains could be an "idea worth exploring". |
| But he agreed there was a need to "push for behaviour change" so that "everybody can travel on public transport in complete safety". | But he agreed there was a need to "push for behaviour change" so that "everybody can travel on public transport in complete safety". |
| The UK has seen these types of carriages before. Dating from as far back as the 1840s, British Rail had ladies-only compartments to protect women from public and verbal harassment. | |
| About 100 still existed on services between London and Essex when the decision was made to phase them out altogether in 1977. | |
| Mumbai's Ladies' Special | Mumbai's Ladies' Special |
| Earlier this year, the Ladies' Special train in Mumbai, India, marked 25 years since its first journey. | Earlier this year, the Ladies' Special train in Mumbai, India, marked 25 years since its first journey. |
| The Mumbai service - since copied in other cities around India - is exclusively for women and runs alongside gender-specific carriages on other services. | The Mumbai service - since copied in other cities around India - is exclusively for women and runs alongside gender-specific carriages on other services. |
| Commuters shared their stories of the Ladies Special train with the BBC in an article from 2009. | Commuters shared their stories of the Ladies Special train with the BBC in an article from 2009. |
| Sangeeta spoke of women being harassed by men often on other trains: "They touch and pinch…[but]… here nobody passes lewd comments. | Sangeeta spoke of women being harassed by men often on other trains: "They touch and pinch…[but]… here nobody passes lewd comments. |
| "Nobody teases us - it's great." | "Nobody teases us - it's great." |
| Student Charu Dua said: "We can laugh, we can sit where we want, we can do whatever we want, we feel free. We can sing a song, as loud as we want." | Student Charu Dua said: "We can laugh, we can sit where we want, we can do whatever we want, we feel free. We can sing a song, as loud as we want." |
| But one man, Satya Pal, told the BBC the policy was "not practical", because it meant men had to travel separately from their wives, daughters or sisters. | But one man, Satya Pal, told the BBC the policy was "not practical", because it meant men had to travel separately from their wives, daughters or sisters. |
| Laura Bates, from Everyday Sexism, a website which documents instances of daily sexism, told Victoria Derbyshire she would "never suggest segregation is the answer". | Laura Bates, from Everyday Sexism, a website which documents instances of daily sexism, told Victoria Derbyshire she would "never suggest segregation is the answer". |
| "It has to be about sending a clear message that this issue, which is already so normalised in our society, can be further normalised by the idea that women should simply go somewhere else." | "It has to be about sending a clear message that this issue, which is already so normalised in our society, can be further normalised by the idea that women should simply go somewhere else." |
| The idea for women-only carriages was dropped by Mr Corbyn two years ago after fellow members of his party criticised it, including senior Labour MPs Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall. | The idea for women-only carriages was dropped by Mr Corbyn two years ago after fellow members of his party criticised it, including senior Labour MPs Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall. |
| And Mr Williamson's comments have again been attacked by colleagues. | And Mr Williamson's comments have again been attacked by colleagues. |
| Walthamstow Labour MP Stella Creasy tweeted: "Can we make all carriages safe for all passengers rather than restricting where we can go? | Walthamstow Labour MP Stella Creasy tweeted: "Can we make all carriages safe for all passengers rather than restricting where we can go? |
| "[It] doesn't keep women safe to restrict their movements - it normalises attacks. We need to be clear they [the attackers] are problem, not women's seating plans." | "[It] doesn't keep women safe to restrict their movements - it normalises attacks. We need to be clear they [the attackers] are problem, not women's seating plans." |
| Jess Phillips, Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, said the policy was an "absolutely terrible idea". | Jess Phillips, Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, said the policy was an "absolutely terrible idea". |
| She tweeted: "It is essentially giving up on trying to prosecute assaults. Also, men should be incredibly annoyed by [the] suggestion they can't control themselves. | She tweeted: "It is essentially giving up on trying to prosecute assaults. Also, men should be incredibly annoyed by [the] suggestion they can't control themselves. |
| "Sexual violence isn't about urges, it's about power. If you take your feminist cues from Saudi Arabia, you've gone wrong." | "Sexual violence isn't about urges, it's about power. If you take your feminist cues from Saudi Arabia, you've gone wrong." |
| Labour's former Transport Secretary Lord Adonis told BBC 5 live women-only train carriages were an "absolutely crazy idea" and women would find it "grossly insulting". | Labour's former Transport Secretary Lord Adonis told BBC 5 live women-only train carriages were an "absolutely crazy idea" and women would find it "grossly insulting". |
| "The idea that they would be herded into separate carriages when the point at issue is a very tiny number of men who don't behave properly... | "The idea that they would be herded into separate carriages when the point at issue is a very tiny number of men who don't behave properly... |
| "And I doubt that many women would use them, so what you'd find is that the carriages would be empty." | "And I doubt that many women would use them, so what you'd find is that the carriages would be empty." |
| The Women's Equality Party said it had not changed its opinion since the Labour leader first proposed women-only trains in 2015. | The Women's Equality Party said it had not changed its opinion since the Labour leader first proposed women-only trains in 2015. |
| The party's co-founder, Catherine Mayer, tweeted that it was "not a good idea", as the party "vigorously pointed out" when it was first suggested. | The party's co-founder, Catherine Mayer, tweeted that it was "not a good idea", as the party "vigorously pointed out" when it was first suggested. |