15% rise in rape reports should be ‘wake-up call’, charity says

A 15% increase in reports of rape and attempted rape should be a “wake-up call”, Rape Crisis Scotland has said.

Statistics released by the Scottish Government on Tuesday show there were 2,609 reports in the year up to June 2024.

In the following year, the figure rose to 3,004 – a 15% jump.

Since 2021, the number of attack reports has increased by 21%.

The total number of sexual offences grew by 5% in the most recent year, according to the figures.

In the year up to 2024, the number of sexual offences was 14,417, compared with 15,129 the following year.

Responding to the statistics, Rape Crisis Scotland chief executive Sandy Brindley said the country requires a “robust criminal justice system” victims can have faith in.

“This should be a wake-up call about the rising prevalence of sexual violence against women and girls in Scotland,” she said.

“Despite record numbers of rape, it still has the lowest conviction rate of any crime type in Scotland.

It also remains incredibly under-reported, so these figures still do not show the full extent of people affected by rape and sexual violence in this country.

“Let’s not sugar-coat today’s figures by suggesting that they represent an increased faith in the police and the criminal justice system.

“More survivors may well be coming forward, but an increase in rapes is just that: an increase in the number of women who are being raped.

“We need a robust criminal justice system that survivors and the wider public can have faith in.

“There is still work to be done on public attitudes towards rape and sexual violence.

“We tend to think of rapists as anonymous figures who lurk in the shadows, but most survivors know their perpetrator.

“We still see juries and the wider public struggling with that reality, which makes it hard for survivors to feel able to come forward.”

In 2022-23 – according to statistics released in December – the conviction rate for rape and attempted rape was 54%, compared to an 86% rate for all crimes.

Ms Brindley stressed the need work to “tackle rape before it happens”, saying: “We have seen a sharp rise in the number of young women and girls reporting sexual harassment and even sexual assault at school as a common occurrence.”

She said that she hears about teenage boys quoting controversial figures such as Andrew Tate, and added that young people are being influenced by violent sexual content online.

“All the while, the Government has abandoned its pledge to legislate against misogyny,” Ms Brindley added.

“Prevention work in Scotland is desperately under-resourced, yet it is the first and often only line of defence in stopping this behaviour in its tracks.

“Giving young people the tools and education they need to identify, challenge, and report misogynistic and sexually violent behaviour is the best hope we have of curbing this disturbing rise in violence against women and girls.”

Andrew Tate has been approached for comment.

Elsewhere, 2,169 reports were made under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act in the year up to June 2024, rising by 26% to 2,742 the following year.

Since 2021, the number of domestic violence reports increased by 63%, from 1,682.

The total number of non-sexual violent crimes increased by 12% since 2021, according to the statistics.

Scottish Labour justice spokeswoman Pauline McNeill said “women are being failed”.

“The SNP has wreaked havoc with our justice system and now crime is on the rise and violence against women is at crisis point,” she said.

“This shameful rise in domestic abuse and sexual violence shows the SNP has failed to do enough to tackle the attitudes of boys and men which is fundamental to changing these worrying trends.

“Police Scotland is stretched to breaking point and our communities have been made less safe.”

Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said the 1% increase in recorded crime was “alarming”.

“It is particularly worrying to see a sharp rise in the number of rapes and sexual assault cases,” he said.

“SNP ministers must put victims’ needs first, rather than those of dangerous criminals whose so-called punishments are often so lenient they provide no deterrent whatsoever.

“Whether it’s sexual crimes, other violent offences or the shoplifting epidemic, the trend is up and Scotland’s streets are becoming less safe.”

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said Scotland “continues to be a safe place to live”, but she was “very concerned” by the increase in sexual violence and domestic abuse.

“Whilst I welcome that some of this increase will be due to an increase in reporting and trust in the justice system, it is abhorrent that such crimes, which are mainly against women, are taking place,” she said.

“This year we will invest £4.2 billion across the justice system including a record £1.64 billion for policing – an increase of £90 million on 2024-25.

“I recognise that multiple factors will lie behind increases in sexual crime. These crimes are truly appalling.

“Our action to tackle sexual offending includes increasing confidence in the justice system so more victims come forward, improving support for victims and modernising the law on sexual offences.

“These statistics are a stark reminder of the unacceptable levels of domestic abuse that occur in Scotland.

“A person’s home should be a place of safety and we know that is not always the case and that women are disproportionately victims of domestic abuse.”

Ms Constance added that the Government was working with partners to implement its strategy to end violence against women and girls.