Reports of rape are down 20% in crisis

REPORTS of rape when the country was in lockdown dropped just over 20 per cent on the same period as last year, according to Police Scotland.

Between the start of lockdown on March 24 and July 5, just before Scotland entered phase three of the route map, 529 rapes were recorded – representing a 20.2% reduction on the same period in 2019, Police Scotland said.

The force said reports have increased again as lockdown has eased but the figures remain lower than in 2019.

Between March 24 and November 15, the number of both recent and non-recent offences reported was down 6.5% - 1,427 compared with 1,526 for the same period in 2019.

A recent offence is one within a year of the crime occurring – reports of which are down 10.8% in the March to November period from 959 in 2019 to 855 this year – while non-recent is more than a year.

Despite the decrease in figures, the force issued a reminder that a reduction in reporting does not mean less offending as all forms of sexual crime continue to be under-reported.

Assistant Chief Constable Judi Heaton said: “While this data shows a clear reduction in reports of recent rape and sexual crime during lockdown, it is too early to draw conclusions as to why this might be.

“What we do know is that the vast majority of rape and sexual crime is committed by someone known to the victim.

“More than half of rapes reported to us occur within a relationship, whether that’s during the early stages of dating or in longer term relationships – most of those reports are made by women and girls. Let’s be very clear about this, being in a relationship does not mean entitlement to sex.

“Our helpline is open nightly from 6pm to midnight on 08088 01 03 02.”