Fife has highest sex crime rate in Scotland

Sexual crime rates in Fife are the highest in Scotland as the number of cases reported rose by more than a quarter in a year.

A total of 1,527 sexual crimes were recorded in the Kingdom between April 2021 and March this year, compared to 1,195 in the year prior – a rise of nearly 28%.

Across the country, the number of such offences increased by nearly 14% during the same period to 15,049, performance review figures from Police Scotland reveal.

It means about 10% of all reported sexual crimes in Scotland happened in Fife.

The number of recorded rapes in the region rose year-onyear from 190 to 262, and indecent and sexual assaults rose from 385 to 565. Other sexual crimes such as indecent communication and the disclosure of intimate images also increased.

For every 10,000 people in Fife, 40.9 sexual crimes are recorded. Dundee has Scotland’s secondhighest sexual crime rate, with 38.9 per 10,000, though the numbers there fell yearon-year from 644 to 581.

Only Glasgow recorded more sexual crimes than Fife, with 2,048, but Fife detection rates are among the highest in the country.

Detectives said a factor is their work in profiling known sex offenders and contacting potential victims.

Chief Superintendent Derek Mcewan, Fife’s divisional commander, said the increase in cases “can be attributed to the increased confidence of victims to report offences”.

Sandy Brindley, of Rape Crisis Scotland, said: “More reports don’t necessarily mean more crimes happening.

“Sometimes it can mean there are better systems...in place for people coming forward and that is positive.”