Record number of sexual crimes reported to Police Scotland

The number of sexual crimes reported to police has risen by 8% to the highest level on record, new statistics show.

Figures published by the Scottish Government show a jump of 1,060 reports of sexual crimes between 2017-18 and 2018-19.

The statistics continue an upward shift in the number investigated by police, which has shot up by 108% since 2009-10.

Reports are at the highest level since comparable statistics were first compiled in 1971.

Dumfries and Galloway had the highest rate of sex crimes, with 36 per 10,000 people in 2018-19. East Renfrewshire was the lowest with 15 per 10,000.

Sexual assault took up the highest proportion of reported crimes in the last year at 38%, with rape at 18% and crimes related to prostitution - the only sex crime for which the number of reports decreased in the recorded year - at 2%.

Historic sex crimes made up 25% of the total reports in 2018-19, with 1,194 having been reported as lewd and libidinous practices, a term only used on crimes committed before the implementation of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009.

The report also said Police Scotland believes increased reporting, as opposed to a rise in crimes committed, could be partly responsible for the increase in the figures.

Large-scale operations, which identify a number of perpetrators and victims, could also be related to the rise in the number of reports, according to Police Scotland.

Overall, crimes in Scotland have increased by 1% between 2017-18 and 2018-19 but the number has dropped by 27% since 2009-10.

Non-sexual violent crimes had the biggest single-year jump, with the number of reports rising by 10%, from 7,251 to 8,008 - but this was down 29% on 2009-10.

Attempted murder and serious assault was the highest proportion of these such crimes, accounting for 54% of reports.

In the past decade, this figure has dropped by 22%.

The number of homicides also rose slightly between 2017-18 and 2018-19 from 98 to 102, with the number of driving-related reports increasing by four and murder by three.

Glasgow had the highest single-year crime rate with 717 reports per 10,000 residents, ahead of Edinburgh with 604 and Dundee with 595.

Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles) had the lowest rate of crimes reported in Scotland, at 143 during 2018-19.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “While there is less crime and fewer victims than a decade ago, the impact on victims, particularly of sexual or violent crimes, is often devastating.

“That is why we are strengthening how Scotland's justice system and other public services support victims, while investing in both law enforcement and crime prevention projects.

“We want victims to have the confidence to report crimes to the police.

“We know that many of the sexual crimes recorded in this year's figures occurred many years in the past.

“We are investing record levels of funding to support victims through a range of front line specialist services.

Detective Chief Superintendent Lesley Boal said: “It is vital that victims feel confident about coming forward to police and we have seen a large increase in reports of rape and sexual offences, including non-recent offences, since the formation of Police Scotland.

“We will continue to strive to proactively identify victims of rape and sexual crime whilst ensuring that all investigations are carried out consistently and to a high standard, regardless of where or when the crime occurred.

“We are continually improving our response to reports of rape and sexual crime and how we conduct such investigations.

“This includes seeking feedback from victims/survivors and we welcome the opportunity to listen to their experiences in the criminal justice process.''

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Liam McArthur, said: “The steep rise in violent and sexual crime is extremely concerning. Thousands of families will have been left reeling from unthinkable attacks.

“Our system is under immense pressure. The Justice Secretary needs to urgently re-examine police resourcing.''

Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr described the rise as a “catastrophic failure'' of the Scottish Government, calling for more resources for Police Scotland.

He said: “The worrying and significant rise in sexual and violent crime is compounded by the decreasing clear up rates, in what will be devastating news for victims.

“The SNP's failure to ensure we have enough police on the streets is clearly having a negative impact, and their decision to abolish prison sentences of less than a year will only make things worse.''

James Kelly, the justice spokesman for Scottish Labour said Scotland was in the grips of a “wave of rising''.

He said: “The Justice Secretary cannot just dismiss these statistics, behind each one are thousands of people who have had their lives ruined.

“He must immediately ditch his plans to cut police officer numbers in light of these harrowing figures.

“It's time for Humza Yousaf to give our brave police officers the resources they need to fight crime and keep Scotland safe."

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