Police figures have revealed a disturbing pattern of sex offences against women and girls in changing rooms across England and Wales.
Data obtained by the Women’s Rights Network through Freedom of Information requests shows at least 16 rapes, 80 sexual assaults and 65 voyeurism incidents were recorded at leisure facilities in 2023 alone.
The statistics, which amount to approximately three offences a week, were gathered from 257 sports centres. Where police documented the specific location of crimes, the majority occurred in mixed-sex changing areas.
The WRN report has characterised shared changing facilities as a “magnet for sexual predators” and is calling for single-sex provision to become standard.
Currently, around a third of leisure centres across the country do not offer dedicated female-only changing or shower spaces.
Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies has endorsed the report’s findings and urged councils to take steps to safeguard female swimmers.
Ms Davies, known for her gender-critical views, said: “Women and girls face hidden dangers when using their local pools because mixed-sex changing rooms are proving to be a magnet for sexual predators.”
She added: “Horrendous crimes, including rapes, sexual assaults and voyeurism, are occurring daily in our local swimming pool changing facilities places where females are uniquely vulnerable.”
The former athlete noted that many local authorities have adopted mixed-sex “changing villages” in line with Sport England guidance, leaving a significant proportion of facilities without any women-only provision.
Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies has endorsed the report’s findings
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While single-sex changing rooms are not legally required, official guidance stipulates that where they do exist, access should be restricted to biological women.
Victims have described lasting psychological damage from their ordeals.
One teenage girl who was sexually assaulted while showering at a swimming pool said: “I was crying myself to sleep and walking to school with puffy eyes. I suffered vivid nightmares, those same scenes playing on repeat in my head. I had countless panic attacks.”
She added that the smell of chlorine still causes her muscles to tense.
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Where police documented the specific location of crimes, the majority occurred in mixed-sex changing areas
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A woman targeted by mobile phone voyeurism added: “I wasn’t going to tell anyone. What’s the point? Nothing will be done about it.”
Another victim described feeling “really scared” about whether images of her body might appear online, while one woman said she was considering abandoning swimming entirely.
The report concluded that such offences are likely significantly under-reported, with many women choosing to avoid pools rather than engage with police.
The WRN accused councils, sports bodies, leisure operators and architects of “designing in harm” by defaulting to mixed-sex changing areas in new builds and refurbishments.
Single-sex changing rooms are not currently legally required
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The report read: “Women and girls are being put at risk of serious sexual crimes because local authorities, sports councils, leisure centre operators and architects do not take women’s safety seriously.”
Police data also revealed that male staff members were responsible for nearly five per cent of recorded offences.
In September, officers raised “substantive concerns” about voyeurism risks at a proposed swimming pool in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, recommending redesign to address violence against women and girls.
Last year, two men were convicted of covertly filming more than 5,000 people, including children, at pools across London and the South East.
