Reports of sexual crime have increased according to Police Scotland, but a senior officer hopes that is due to victims having more confidence to come forward.
Latest figures show that between 1 April 2024 and end of September 2024 (quarters 1 and 2, 2024 – 25), 1,400 rapes were reported to Police Scotland, an increase of 19.5 per cent on the same period in 2023-24.
Most offences (850) had occurred within the last 12 months. The remainder occurred more than 12 months ago.
Nearly 7,600 sexual crimes were reported in total, an increase of 3.2 per cent on the same period in 2023-24. Of those, nearly one quarter were reports of non-recent offences (1,829).
The force’s Police Scotland’s new THAT GUY sexual crime prevention campaign launches today Monday 28 October.
Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Steve Johnson, lead for Major Crime and Public Protection, Police Scotland said: “My hope is that increased reporting indicates increased confidence in victims coming forward, as we work with partners, to improve our response to reports of sexual crimes, which have a devastating impact on victims.
“Women and girls should be able to live their lives free from all forms of violence, abuse, harassment and exploitation. We want to prevent sexual crime, by tackling behaviours that demean, minimise and brutalise women.
“Prevention sits with all of us, but men need to take responsibility for their behaviour and stop sexual offending before it starts.”
Police Scotland’s latest THAT GUY campaign continues the theme of supporting men to reflect on their own, their friends and relatives, behaviour towards women.
Its target audience is men aged between 18 – 35 years. It encourages men to intervene and to stop a friend potentially committing a sexual offence.
ACC Johnson continued: “As a father, I hope I’ve brought my sons up to respect women and to not be that guy who stands by and says nothing when a mate acts in an abusive way or doesn’t take no for an answer.
“No men want the women in their lives to be a victim of sexual offending, just as we don’t want a friend to end up on the register or in prison for sexual crimes.
“All men need to consider the impact of their behaviour on women, but equally have a quiet word with a mate to prevent them doing something they really will regret.”
The campaign will run across social media channels.
Visit the THAT GUY website at www.that-guy.co.uk
Podcast series
It will also include a new podcast series hosted by writer and broadcaster Alistair Heather, who appeared in the 2022 THAT GUY video advert.
The THAT GUY podcast features five episodes of frank conversations about the attitudes and behaviours that puts women at risk of sexual violence and men at risk of offending.
By exploring topics like football, social media, and relationships, Alistair learns how guys can make a positive difference by speaking up and stepping in.
The podcast series will be available on the That Guy YouTube channel and podcast platforms such as Spotify and Apple. Episodes will be published weekly during the six-week campaign.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
