Transport for London (TfL) has launched a new initiative aimed at combatting harassment, hate crimes, and other offences on the capital’s public transport network by encouraging passengers to intervene safely and supportively when they witness such incidents. The campaign, titled Act Like a Friend, invites people not to confront offenders directly, but to offer simple, low-risk gestures of solidarity and distraction to those targeted, effectively empowering bystanders to become active participants in creating a safer travel environment.
Launched during National Hate Crime Awareness Week, the campaign is grounded in behavioural insight research revealing that many Londoners want to help when they see harassment but freeze because they are unsure how to act. Recognising that women, minorities, and LGBTQ+ individuals are particularly vulnerable, TfL’s campaign steers clear of confrontation and instead models small, natural actions like initiating a friendly conversation or simply asking ‘are you okay?’ This approach is designed to make bystander intervention feel accessible and intuitive.
The campaign’s centerpiece is a 120-second film directed by Edem Kelman and produced by VCCP, which dramatizes real-life scenarios frequently experienced by users of London’s transport network. The film debuted at the London Transport Museum alongside a panel discussion with bystanders, victims, and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) advocates, before rolling out to cinemas, social media, and digital out-of-home advertising. To tailor the message to diverse communities, TfL has partnered with football clubs such as Crystal Palace, Fulham, and Tottenham Hotspur, using localized messaging to engage broader audiences.
Alongside Act Like a Friend, TfL has launched a parallel Tackling Crime campaign focused on deterring perpetrators by highlighting visible enforcement and the serious consequences offenders face, including fines and imprisonment. Together, these complementary campaigns aim to balance deterrence with empowerment—showing that both robust policing and community vigilance are essential to enhancing public safety.
While London’s transport system remains one of the safest of its scale globally, recent data reveal troubling trends: incidents of hate crime have surged nearly 50% year-on-year, and overall crime rates on the network have also increased, from 12.6 to 13.4 offences per million journeys. British Transport Police recorded over 3,500 violent offences on the Underground in 2024, a 20% rise from the previous year. In the first six months of 2025 alone, TfL reported 1,268 hate crime incidents across its services, underscoring the urgency of these campaigns.
To support the behavioural shift the campaign seeks, TfL has teamed with charities like Protection Approaches to offer free ‘active bystander’ training. These sessions teach passengers how to safely intervene using distraction techniques or to provide support and guidance for reporting assaults, reinforcing that intervention should only occur when it is safe to do so. Siwan Hayward, TfL’s director of security policing enforcement, emphasises the power of simple acts: ‘Our new campaign shows how powerful it can be to strike up a conversation with the targeted person and treat them like a friend, to help them feel less alone and make the first steps towards reporting the incident.’
Creative director Zoë Stock of VCCP highlights the campaign’s human-centric approach, noting that ‘most Londoners can relate to wanting to help but not knowing how in the moment.’ She points out that by showcasing authentic stories of Londoners who have ‘acted like a friend,’ the campaign aims to equip everyone with practical, safe actions that feel both possible and natural. The campaign’s ethos suggests that looking out for one another on public transport should become as instinctive as minding the gap or offering a seat—small, everyday acts woven into the city’s culture of care.
The campaign’s rollout includes broad visibility across various media channels: cinema screenings through Pearl & Dean and Digital Cinema Media, digital and physical out-of-home advertising, social media engagement, and community partnerships designed to resonate with local audiences. This multifaceted approach seeks to raise awareness comprehensively, making it clear that bystanders share responsibility with official authorities in maintaining a safe and inclusive transport network.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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