Report: Nearly All Sex Assaults Reported at Sports Centers Were in Unisex Facilities
It’s time to revisit the Great Bathroom Debate.
Over the weekend, The London Times (behind a paywall) published an article claiming that “Almost 90% of reported sexual assaults, harassment and voyeurism in swimming pool and sports-centre changing rooms happen in unisex facilities.”
Because unisex facilities “make up less than half the total” of changing rooms across the UK, the Times concluded that unisex changing rooms are, in fact, “more dangerous for women and girls than single-sex facilities.”
This should come as no surprise to most conservatives.
Ever since LGBT activists and leftists began demanding gender-neutral bathrooms for the comfort of transgender individuals, conservatives have been warning others of the consequences of letting men into the ladies’ room.
“Of 134 complaints in the UK last year, 120 are about incidents in unisex changing rooms, data obtained by the Sunday Times revealed,” according to the Daily Mail.
Putting that data another way, “Ninety per cent of assault, voyeurism and harassment cases relate to the gender neutral zones which have been branded a ‘magnet’ for sexual predators.”
“In a further 46 cases, sexual assault allegations were made about attacks in other areas such as in the pool, in a sports hall or corridors,” the Independent added.
So conservative fears might be justified after all. Imagine that.
Gender-neutral bathrooms serve a double purpose: They cater to transgender people and allow council members to cut staff costs at city-run facilities like public swimming pools. If both genders are allowed in the bathrooms, then the need for separate male and female janitors, for example, is eliminated.
Paris Lees, a trans activist, reportedly said that “making bathrooms more trans-friendly hasn’t led to any problems.”
David Davies, member of Parliament for Monmouth, strongly disagreed.
“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,” he added. “The reforms to gender recognition will grant that access.”
Dr. Nicola Williams, a spokeswoman for the organization Fair Play for Women, agreed with Davies.
“Spaces where women are undressed should be single-sex as a matter of course,” she said. “This is obvious, elementary safeguarding.”
Considering the fact that gender neutral bathrooms affect the safety of not only women, but also children, re-examining their true value should be a top priority for local government officials everywhere.
Perhaps conservatives have had the right idea on this subject all along. Go figure.
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