Significant Crime Statistic Excludes Rape and Other Sexual Offenses, Raising Concerns
BBC disclosures indicate that a prominent crime statistic cited by UK officials does not incorporate sexual offenses, which disproportionately impact women.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports overall crime rates have dropped since 2010 but excludes sexual assaults such as rape, claiming challenges in gathering accurate numbers for these crimes. Critics argue this misrepresents the prevalence of violence against women.
To estimate total crime, the ONS surveys 30,000 people annually, acknowledging difficulties in reporting sensitive crimes like abuse, stalking, and harassment.
Separate reports handle these, yet they are omitted from the primary crime figure prominently used by policymakers, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
Violent crime data, the basis of public statements, do not reflect sexual assault trends since these are recorded differently. Similarly, Scottish statistics separate "non-sexual violent crimes."
The ONS plans to clarify which crimes are included or excluded in future reports, advising caution when interpreting long-term trends from a singular statistic.
Despite decreases in certain crime categories, sexual assaults are on the rise according to the ONS, nearly doubling from 2014 to 2023, with increases also seen in stalking incidents. Regardless, domestic abuse rates have declined since 2005.
Harriet Wistrich of the Centre for Women's Justice criticizes the narrow definition of "crime" that neglects women's experiences, leading to a skewed perception of public safety. Labour's Dame Diana Johnson voices concern that unclear crime data could undermine efforts to address violence against women.
The Home Office, responding to queries on crime data usage, highlights initiatives to combat domestic abuse and accelerate judicial processes. Labour proposes developing a unified measure for violence against women and aims to cut such crimes by half.
To estimate total crime, the ONS surveys 30,000 people annually, acknowledging difficulties in reporting sensitive crimes like abuse, stalking, and harassment.
Separate reports handle these, yet they are omitted from the primary crime figure prominently used by policymakers, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
Violent crime data, the basis of public statements, do not reflect sexual assault trends since these are recorded differently. Similarly, Scottish statistics separate "non-sexual violent crimes."
The ONS plans to clarify which crimes are included or excluded in future reports, advising caution when interpreting long-term trends from a singular statistic.
Despite decreases in certain crime categories, sexual assaults are on the rise according to the ONS, nearly doubling from 2014 to 2023, with increases also seen in stalking incidents. Regardless, domestic abuse rates have declined since 2005.
Harriet Wistrich of the Centre for Women's Justice criticizes the narrow definition of "crime" that neglects women's experiences, leading to a skewed perception of public safety. Labour's Dame Diana Johnson voices concern that unclear crime data could undermine efforts to address violence against women.
The Home Office, responding to queries on crime data usage, highlights initiatives to combat domestic abuse and accelerate judicial processes. Labour proposes developing a unified measure for violence against women and aims to cut such crimes by half.
