More stalking, harassment & sex offences reported in Wiltshire

It's being suggested that there's greater confidence in reporting stalking, harassment and sexual offences to police in Wiltshire.

It follows the release of new Office for National Statistics data, revealing an 8% rise in reports of stalking and harassment cases in the year ending March 2025.

The same time period saw sexual offence reports also go up by 10%.

While it may appear concerning, the Force and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner say the increase in reports is down to two factors - public confidence and changes to how the Force records offences.

Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: “While any increase in stalking, harassment, or sexual offences is concerning, it’s important to recognise that rising numbers can also reflect improved awareness, better recording practices, and growing confidence in the support systems available.

“We’ve worked hard to build trust in our services—whether that’s through training frontline officers and staff, funding specialist support roles, or improving access to services. The fact that more individuals are coming forward may indicate that those efforts are beginning to resonate."

Internally, Catherine Roper's constabulary has introduced new training to improve how offences are classified, particularly distinguishing stalking from harassment to ensure victims receive a better service.

Detective Chief Inspector Claire Smith said: "As an organisation, we have been working hard to develop our understanding of offences such as stalking, harassment and sexual offences - to ensure that they are correctly identified at the earliest opportunity and robustly investigated."

The PCC says that behind every statistic, there is a person who has taken the brave step to speak out.

And while Mr Wilkinson is encouraged by the figures, and what they suggest, he insists there's more work to do.

The OPCC funds a number of specialist services aimed at supporting victims and improving access to justice, including:

• Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) – Supporting victims of sexual violence through the criminal justice process and beyond.
• Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) – Assisting those at high risk of harm from domestic abuse with safety planning and advocacy.
• Stalking ISVA – Providing tailored support to victims of stalking.
• Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) – Offering 24/7 medical, forensic, and emotional support in a safe, confidential environment.

DCI Smith is urging other victims to come forward too.

She said: “We know that such crimes are significantly under reported, we have made great strides to improve public understanding and to develop greater trust and confidence of the public in reporting such offences.

“We hope that these latest figures reflect, in part, the greater willingness of victims to engage with us."

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