A young woman has spoken out about the terrifying moment she was sexually assaulted on a busy London train, an incident that has left her fearful of using public transport and now driving her to campaign for the introduction of women-only carriages on the Tube network.
A Harrowing Assault on the Elizabeth Line
Amber Dowling-Doyle, a 24-year-old part-time model and pet sitter from Brentwood in Essex, was travelling home on the Elizabeth Line service from Liverpool Street towards Essex after an after-work drink when the attack occurred. With her earphones in, she initially tried to ignore a man who approached her, but he escalated the situation by grabbing her arm and positioning himself to cage her in against the seat.
"He got quite verbal and was calling me rude for ignoring him," Amber recounted. "On the train I was on there's glass panels between the seats so you can't go to the side or anything. He'd positioned himself in front of me to cage me in there and that's when he put his hand on my leg and he sexually assaulted me."
Intervention by Fellow Passengers
The assault was witnessed by other passengers on the train, who bravely intervened. One woman shouted "leave her alone", prompting a male passenger to step in and physically pull the perpetrator off Amber. This intervention caused a commotion, leading others to get involved, and someone alerted the British Transport Police, who arrested the man at Stratford Station.
Amber expressed profound gratitude for the strangers who came to her aid. "It was surreal. Even though I was in public, I felt like I was the only person with him on that train," she said. "I'm grateful to the strangers. It's something I've not forgotten about and I probably won't ever."
The Aftermath and Legal Proceedings
The psychological impact of the assault has been severe. Amber was referred for therapy and described feeling "terrified" to board a train again, a fear that persisted six months later. "I got on a train the other day and I was terrified still," she admitted. "I felt like I was shaking the whole time - I wasn't but my whole body felt like it was vibrating."
The offender, whose name Amber chose never to learn, pleaded guilty to sexual assault at an earlier hearing and was sentenced at Thames Magistrates Court on December 11, 2025. He received a 16-week suspended prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was ordered to pay Amber £900 in compensation.
Attending the court hearing provided a sense of closure for Amber. "I saw him and he recognised me and they read out my impact statement in the court room, which I wasn't expecting," she said. "As soon as I heard his sentence, I slumped back in my chair. I feel like I've got closure now, and it's sort of let me come back to life a bit."
Campaigning for Women-Only Carriages
In the wake of her ordeal, Amber is now backing a petition started by 21-year-old student Camille Brown, which calls on Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London to introduce at least one women-only carriage on all Tube lines to protect female passengers. The petition has garnered over 14,000 signatures and is due to receive a government response.
This campaign gains urgency from recent TfL figures, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, which reveal that reported sexual offences on the London Underground reached 595 in 2024-25, the highest level in five years. Amber argues that women-only carriages are a rational safety measure. "I was assaulted on a Friday night but that doesn't mean that another woman isn't being assaulted on her Tuesday morning commute," she emphasised.
A Call to Action for Other Victims
Amber is using her experience to encourage other women who have suffered sexual assault to come forward and report it to the authorities. "Don't be scared," she urged. "I know it's intimidating - especially that gnawing feeling of 'Am I going to be believed?' That's a terrifying feeling and it's so unfair but don't be scared to speak up."
She highlighted the importance of not dealing with such trauma alone, noting that "it's all consuming and it's hard", but added, "Sometimes you have to be a little bit uncomfortable to be free."
A spokesperson for British Transport Police reiterated their commitment to tackling such crimes, stating: "No woman or girl should ever feel unsafe or uncomfortable when travelling by rail, and we take all reports of unacceptable and unwanted sexual behaviour on the railway network seriously." They encouraged passengers to report any incidents via text to 61016.
As Amber looks to the future, she feels the legal outcome has allowed her a "fresh start", but her advocacy for enhanced safety measures on London's transport network continues, driven by a desire to prevent others from enduring similar horrors.
