Sexual assault data 2024
13th May 2025
Our Ref: FOI2025/03285
Request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 Ref No: FOI2025/03285
I write in connection with your request for information received on 14th April. I note you seek access to the following information:
I am writing under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request information regarding two questions:
1. The number of reported incidents of:
a)Rape or attempted rape (Section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act)
b) Sexual assault by penetration (Section 2 of the Sexual Offences Act)
c) Sexual assault (Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act)
d) Stalking (Section 2 of the Protection from Harassment Act)
e) Harassment (Section 2a of the Protection from Harassment Act)
Where the free text associated with the incident report contains any of the following the words:
'online dating', 'internet dating’, 'tinder', 'bumble', 'feeld', 'match.com', ‘hinge’, 'eharmony’, ‘dating app’ or 'plenty of fish’
We would like this information for 1 Jan 2024 to 31 December 2024 (1 year), or the most recent 12 month period available.
1. 2. Of all the reported incidents of sexual assault, rape, and stalking (etc) made to your constabulary in the most recent 12-month period, what proportion involved cases where the victim first met or connected with the perpetrator through a dating app?
We are collating this data from all police forces in the country for a broadcast project on rape and sexual assaults linked to dating apps and are on quite a tight deadline so would be great to have it ASAP.
I am required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (The Act) to handle all requests in a manner that is blind to the identity of the requestor. Any information released in response to a request is regarded as being published and therefore, in the public domain without caveat.
Response: Following searches conducted on the crime recording system of the Constabulary please see our response below:
|
Reported offences - that mention requested terms + Total |
Number with (1+) requested term mentioned |
Year Total |
% |
|
Rape |
41 |
880 |
4.7% |
|
Sexual Assault by penetration s2 SOA |
6 |
105 |
5.7% |
|
Sexual Assault s3 SOA |
11 |
686 |
1.6% |
|
Sexual Assault u13 by penetration s6 SOA |
0 |
22 |
0.0% |
|
Sexual assault u13 s7 SOA |
2 |
147 |
1.4% |
|
Stalking |
25 |
728 |
3.4% |
|
Harassment |
22 |
3965 |
0.6% |
The numerical data presented in this response is an un-audited snapshot of un-published data sourced from "live" systems and is subject to the interpretation of the original request by the individual extracting the data.