New statistics reveal the vast majority of assaults at public swimming pools in the UK take place in unisex change rooms.
According to data obtained by The Sunday Times, almost 90% of reported sexual assaults, harassment and voyeurism in swimming pool and sports-centre change rooms happened in unisex facilities.
Of the 134 incidents reported in the UK last year, 120 of those were carried out in gender-neutral change rooms, while just 14 took place in single-sex changing areas.
Although gender-neutral facilities account for less than half of the changing areas in the UK, the number is on the rise in efforts to better cater to the transgender community.
The findings confirm the safety concerns raised by many in the community, further proving that single-sex changing room facilities are far safer for women and girls.
David Davies, MP for Monmouth said, “These figures show that women and girls are more vulnerable in mixed changing rooms and there is a danger these places are becoming a magnet for sexual offenders.”
“It simply doesn’t make sense to enable men to have greater access to women’s spaces. The reforms to gender recognition will grant that access.”
