Sexual crimes rise as lockdown eases

POLICE: Number of offences recorded in Fife soars 83%

The number of sexual crimes recorded in Fife as lockdown restrictions were eased has soared by 83%.

A total of 716 sexual crimes were reported to officers in Tayside and Fife in the first three months of 2021-22 – up from 493 in the same period the previous year.

Overall reported crime rose between April and June as Covid-19 rules relaxed, including violent and sexual crime, vandalism and fraud.

Fife saw the biggest increase, with the number of sex crimes rising to 413.

That includes 72 reported rapes so far in 2021-22, up from 43 the previous year.

The kingdom also saw sexual assaults rise from 49 to 110, an increase of 55%.

Sandy Brindley, CEO of Rape Crisis Scotland, said there is a worrying and significant increase in reported rapes.

She said: “It is always difficult to tell if higher levels of reporting are due to increased confidence in coming forward, or more rapes taking place. We would expect to see an increase in reports as lockdown restrictions ease; however, it is alarming these figures are the highest for six years.

“Much more needs to be done both to prevent rape and to ensure that where it does happen survivors have access to justice.”

The number of sexual crimes recorded by police in Tayside and Fife has risen by 45% as coronavirus restrictions ease.

A total of 716 sexual crimes were reported to officers in the first three months of 2021-22 – up from 493 in the same period the previous year.

Fife saw the biggest rise at 83%.

Overall reported crime rose between April and June as Covid-19 rules relaxed, including violent and sexual crime, vandalism and fraud.

Dundee was the only area in Tayside and Fife not to see a rise in recorded rapes, with 15 reported so far this year – down 44% on 2020-21.

However, the total number of crimes of sexual violence in Dundee increased, similar to Fife, Perth and Kinross and Angus.

In Fife the number of sex crimes rose to 413 – including 72 reported rapes so far in 2021-22, up from 43 the previous year.

It also saw sexual assaults rise from 49 to 110, an increase of 55%.

A total of 86 sexual crimes were reported in Perth and Kinross, up 14 from 2020.

This included nine crimes involving the taking, possession or distribution of indecent pictures of children, up from two the previous year.

Fives crimes involving sexual exposure were also recorded.

Sandy Brindley, CEO of Rape Crisis Scotland, said there is a worrying and significant increase in reported rapes.

She said: “It is always difficult to tell if higher levels of reporting are due to increased confidence in coming forward, or more rapes taking place.

“We would expect to see an increase in reports as lockdown restrictions ease. However, it is alarming that these figures are the highest for six years.

“It is clear that much more needs to be done both to prevent rape and to ensure that where it does happen survivors have access to justice.”

The supply of drugs, which includes crimes such as production and possession with intent to supply, rose in Dundee from a recorded rate per 100,000 of 2.3 last year to 3.3.

This represented 49 recorded crimes in total.

It included nine crimes involving the production and manufacture of drugs and 40 cases related to the supply of drugs.

Housebreaking and motor vehicle crime has continued to decline in Fife despite the relaxation of Covid-19 rules.

The total number of housebreaking incidents, including attempted breakins, fell 13% year-on-year.

There were also eight fewer recorded motor vehicle offences reported in the kingdom.

Chief Superintendent Derek McEwan, divisional commander for Fife, said: “We will continue to work with partners to build on the success we have observed in reducing certain offences.”

Domestic violence rates fell across the board, with all local authorities reporting a drop in the number of cases reported.

Tayside divisional commander Phil Davison said the crime is underreported and has urged people to come forward and report incidents.

The data from Police Scotland also shows how successful the force has been in solving reported crimes.

For the most serious crimes such as murder, a 100% detection rate was reported between April and June, while crimes such as vandalism had a detection rate of under 50% across Tayside and Fife.

In Angus, all 15 serious assaults were solved alongside two thirds of domestic abuse cases.