Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2023-24

Sexual Crimes

Sexual crimes account for 5% of all crimes recorded in Scotland in 2023-24. The number of Sexual crimes recorded by the police in Scotland decreased by 1% from 14,602 in 2022-23 to 14,484 in 2023-24.

Chart 8 below shows the number of Sexual crimes from 1971 onwards. Sexual crimes have been on a long-term upward trend since that point, with some fluctuations. Levels are now at the third highest seen since 1971.

The national rate of recorded Sexual crimes was 27 crimes per 10,000 population in 2023-24, unchanged from 2022-23.

A number of legislative and procedural changes should be kept in mind when reviewing trends in Sexual crimes over the longer term. These are presented in Annex 3.

In addition to these changes, the issue of historical reporting of sexual crime also continues to play a role in the latest statistics. Further information from Police Scotland suggests that almost a quarter (24%) of Sexual crimes in 2023-24 were recorded at least one year after they occurred. This figure is slightly higher than the 21% reported for 2022-23. Furthermore, as discussed below, the use of specific codes to record sexual crime also highlights where crimes were committed prior to December 2010.

There were 752 crimes of Lewd and libidinous practices in 2023-24. These crimes should all relate to offences which occurred prior to the implementation of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 on 1 December 2010, as the Act replaced Lewd and libidinous practices with specific sexual assault crimes. As a result, we know that these are historical (non-recent) offences. Similarly, there were 294 crimes of Rape and attempted rape and 141 crimes of Sexual assault committed prior to 1 December 2010.

The increase in sexual cyber-crimes has also had an impact on long term trends. We estimate that the volume of Sexual crimes that were cyber-crimes has increased from 1,100 in 2013-14^[1] to 4,320 in 2023-24 (further information on this is available in the Cyber-crime chapter).

Sexual crime has increased significantly since 2010-11 despite a small decrease in the latest year.

The specific age of the victim cannot generally be determined from the data supplied by Police Scotland. However, many of the sexual crime codes used by the police to record crime are based on specific age groupings in line with the legislation (for example, Sexual assault of older male child (13-15 years)). This will include where the perpetrator targets someone they believed to be a child (for example, through cyber-enabled sexual crime). By adding up all these crime codes, we know that at least 37% of the 14,484 Sexual crimes recorded in 2023-24 by the police related to a victim under the age of 18. This proportion is similar to recent years.

Chart 9 shows the six largest categories within Sexual crimes over the last ten years and gives an indication of the trend and scale of each category.

Sexual assault has consistently been the largest category of sexual crimes in each of the last ten years.

In 2023-24, of all Sexual crimes:

• Sexual assault accounted for 35%
• Rape & attempted rape accounted for 17%
• Causing to view sexual activity or images accounted for 15%
• Communicating indecently accounted for 11%
• Other sexual crimes accounted for 11%
• Threatening to or disclosing intimate images accounted for 5%
• Indecent photos of children accounted for 5%
• Crimes associated with prostitution accounted for less than 1%

It should be noted for data prior to 2010-11 that the implementation of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 had an impact on the recording of crimes in this group. Further information on this change is available in Annex 3.

Tables A4 and A5 in the 'Supporting documents' Excel workbook contains more detailed breakdowns for Sexual crimes.

The following sections discuss trends for each crime category comprised in the Sexual crimes group. These are:

• Rape & attempted rape
• Sexual assault
• Causing to view sexual activity or images
• Communicating indecently
• Threatening to or disclosing intimate images
• Indecent photos of children
• Crimes associated with prostitution
• Other sexual crimes

Rape & attempted rape

Rape & attempted rape accounted for 17% of Sexual crimes. After an upward trend from 2015-16 to 2018-19, there were decreases in both 2019-20 and 2020-21. There were then increases in 2021-22 and 2022-23 before a small decrease of less than 1% from 2,529 in 2022-23 to 2,522 in 2023-24.

In 2023-24, 2,228 (88%) of the 2,522 recorded rapes and attempted rapes were committed after the introduction of the Sexual Offences Scotland Act 2009 on 1^st December 2010. Of these 2,228 rapes and attempted rapes, 95% (2,121) had female victims.

Sexual assault

Sexual assault accounted for 35% of Sexual crimes. After an upwards trend from 2014-15 to 2018-19, there were decreases in both 2019-20 and 2020-21 then an increase in 2021-22 before decreases in each of the last two years. There was a 5% decrease in the most recent year, from 5,282 in 2022-23 to 5,025 in 2023-24.

In 2023-24, 4,132 (82%) of the 5,025 sexual assaults were committed after the introduction of the Sexual Offences Scotland Act 2009 on 1^st December 2010. Of these 4,132 sexual assaults, 87% (3,589) had female victims.

Causing to view sexual activity or images

Causing to view sexual activity or images accounted for 15% of Sexual crimes. After an upwards trend from 2014-15 to 2018-19, there has been some fluctuation in more recent years. There was a 7% increase in the most recent year, from 2,082 in 2022-23 to 2,227 in 2023-24.

Communicating indecently

Communicating indecently accounted for 11% of Sexual crimes. These crimes have seen an upwards trend over the last decade, including a 4% increase in the most recent year, from 1,518 in 2022-23 to 1,581 in 2023-24.

Threatening to or disclosing intimate images

Threatening to or disclosing intimate images accounted for 5% of Sexual crimes. This category includes crimes being recorded under the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016, which was implemented on 3 July 2017. Since then, these crimes have seen an upwards trend. However, there was a 3% decrease in the most recent year, from 805 crimes in 2022-23 to 781 in 2023-24.

Indecent photos of children

Indecent photos of children accounted for 5% of Sexual crimes. These crimes have increased year-on-year between 2014-15 and 2017-18, before decreasing in 2018-19, then increasing each year between 2019-20 and 2022-23. However, there was a 2% decrease in the most recent year from 765 crimes in 2022-23 to 747 in 2023-24.

Crimes associated with prostitution

Crimes associated with prostitution accounted for a very small proportion of Sexual crimes, at less than 1%. Over the ten year period from 2014-15 to 2023-24, these crimes have seen a large fall of 81%. However, there has been an increase in the most recent year, from 62 crimes recorded in 2022-23 to 72 in 2023-24 (16% increase).

44% of the crimes recorded in 2023-24 were in the Glasgow City area, with a further 25% recorded in Aberdeen City.

Other sexual crimes

Other sexual crimes accounted for 11% of Sexual crimes.

The Other sexual crimes category includes a wide range of crime types. The largest by volume was Voyeurism^[2], accounting for almost a third (32%) of all crimes recorded in the Other sexual crimes category in 2023-24 (491 crimes). More detail on the crimes included is provided in the 'Supporting documents' Excel workbook and in the User Guide.

This category has previously been on an upward trend for some time, with crimes increasing from 696 in 2014-15 to 1,707 in 2021-22 (up 145%). However, there was a decrease in each of the past two years including a 2% decrease in the most recent year, from 1,559 crimes recorded in 2022-23 to 1,529 in 2023-24.

Data comparisons

The sections below include information that should be considered to widen contextual understanding of the data provided on Sexual crimes. Detail is provided on limited comparisons with recorded crime in England & Wales and Northern Ireland. Further detail on the type of information available from the SCJS on sexual crime is also included.

Data comparisons: Recorded Crime in England & Wales and Northern Ireland

While recorded crime in Scotland is not directly comparable with England & Wales or Northern Ireland due to differences in legislation and counting rules, there are some signs of increases in police recorded sexual crimes across the UK in recent years^[3]. This reflects a number of factors, including the impact of high-profile incidents, media coverage and campaigns on people’s willingness to report incidents to the police, as well as a potential increase in the number of victims. Similarly, sexual offences have shown an upwards trend in Northern Ireland^[4], with the most recent financial year (2023-24) showing one of the highest annual figures over the last ten years despite a small decrease (3%) compared with 2022-23.

Data comparisons: Self-completion modules in the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS)

Detailed information on the victims of sexual crime is not collected in the main Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS). Information on sensitive topics is collected through a number of additional self-completion sections. Some of these sections include information on sexual crime. For example, the self-completion elements of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 surveys included questions on sexual victimisation, stalking and harassment, and partner abuse. The latest findings from the self-completion modules found that, in 2018-20:

• there have been some increases in the proportion of adults experiencing certain types of sexual victimisation since 2008-09
• almost one-in-eight adults (11.8%) experienced at least one type of stalking and harassment
• 16.5% of adults said they had experienced at least one incident of partner abuse since the age of 16, but these have decreased since 2008-09

The findings are included in the 2019-20 SCJS Main Findings report.