A new report reveals only 4% of sexual offenses in Suffolk led to charges, sparking concern and calls for improved support.
Of all those reported crimes, very few led to charges. Only 93 cases resulted in a charge, meaning just four percent led to charges. However, police continue to investigate many cases. Investigators are still looking into 627 incidents, representing about 24 percent of cases.
A police leader, Nicky Wallace, spoke about these crimes and explained what counts as sexual abuse. Wallace said abuse includes many things, such as street harassment, upskirting, and voyeurism. Indecent exposure, sexual assault, and rape also count, as do online offenses. The data includes offenses between children, where support is the aim. Education and safeguarding are also priorities, and criminal charges are not always the goal.
Police data showed that some victims were very young, with the youngest alleged victim being under one year old. In the studied time, the data became quite concerning to investigators. About 524 alleged child victims were twelve or younger.
Most reported offenses involved older kids, with victims aged thirteen to seventeen coming forward in around 757 recorded incidents. There were 642 offenses against victims aged eighteen to thirty. About 412 alleged victims were thirty-one to forty-five, and around 168 alleged victims were forty-six to sixty. Sadly ninety-six incidents involved older victims. These victims were over sixty years old, and crimes also involved alleged victims in their nineties, and even victims over one hundred.
A University of Suffolk professor commented on the data. Miranda Horvath studies social justice and crime and leads a project mapping support services. Her project helps survivors of sexual violence.
Horvath stated the charge rate is critically low. Only four percent of offenses get charged in Suffolk, yet this is still above the national average, which sits around 2.9 percent. Horvath explained that survivors face barriers, with many, around forty percent, living in rural areas. This limits access to consistent support.
The University of Suffolk helps sexual violence victims, and police also try to improve charge rates. Operation Soteria intends to help this work, aiming to improve investigations of sexual offenses.
Detective Superintendent Wallace provided some context, noting many reports remained under investigation. Some reports were complex and required thorough investigation. A charge may not occur for several reasons.
Sometimes a victim is not ready for court, and trauma may prevent them from proceeding. Gathering enough evidence can also prove challenging. Wallace mentioned they have specialist investigators who handle rape and serious sexual offenses. They use the Operation Soteria findings to help.
Suffolk features a sexual assault referral centre known as The Ferns. The Ferns provides specialized support to victims. Police work with The Children’s Society, too, helping young people spot signs of abuse.
Wallace expressed her concern for young victims, stating children are the most vulnerable in society, so she is very concerned about the stats. The police want all young people to feel safe, including online protection. The police work with many partner organizations, and local organizations address issues of risk, harm, abuse, and neglect.