Crime, News, Uncategorized

Reports of sexual offences against women in Nottinghamshire rise by more than 220 per cent in a decade

By Fiona Mills

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Reports of serious sexual offences against women in Nottinghamshire have increased by 223 per cent over the last decade, according to police figures.

The statistics, covering 2013 to 2024, reflect a national trend seen by police forces across England and Wales linked to more people finding the confidence to come forward. 

While reporting improvements, changes to crime recording standards, and increased public awareness are believed to be contributing factors, the scale of the rise continues to raise concerns about persistent and possibly worsening risks to women’s safety.

The true number of victims is still likely to be far higher in Nottinghamshire and nationally, because the majority of all offences are never actually reported to police.

Nottinghamshire Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Angela Kandola, who leads violence against women and girls policy at the commissioner’s office, says building trust and confidence among victims is essential.

She said: “We know that sexual violence is under-reported, but in recent years have seen more people having the confidence to come forward.

“Tackling and preventing sexual violence and supporting survivors are among the key priorities of Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden’s Police and Crime Plan.”

Ms Kandola pointed out that the commissioner’s office funds free support services, including independent advisors who assist survivors – whether or not they report to police.

Ms Kandola added: “We work alongside a number of partner agencies to address this issue and raise awareness.”

One of the partnerships involves the Consent Coalition, a group of more than 30 local organisations working to raise awareness about sexual violence and promote consent education. 

Their campaigns, such as the A–Z of Consent and the Safe Spaces Pledge, have gained national recognition.

Ms Kandola attributed the rise in reporting to improved data collection, changes in national recording practices, and the impact of inquiries like the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

She stated: “There are many complex reasons for this which mean there cannot be a direct comparison of like-for-like statistics.

“We must keep working to improve outcomes for survivors of sexual abuse and keep promoting societal change so that harmful behaviours are seen, challenged, reported and stopped as early as possible.”

The figures, recording reports of sex crimes against adult women, come from the police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables: Police Force Area tables, year ending March 2013 onwards, published by the Home Office.

They show 493 reports in the 12 months to April 2014, compared with 1,192 in the same period in 2018, rising to 1,814 in 2024.

Notts Police use a range of legal and preventative tools to manage risk. This includes Sexual Risk Orders (SROs), civil orders that can be imposed on individuals even if they have not been convicted, but are deemed to pose a sexual threat. There are currently 29 SROs in effect across the county.