Recorded sexual offences reach record highs in Portsmouth area as police chief states 'more needs to be done' to tackle crimes

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows police recorded 1,036 sex crimes in Portsmouth in the year to September – the highest since equivalent records began in 2007. This has risen from 812 in the previous 12 months.

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Detective chief inspector Dal Andrews, of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, said the increase is ‘not necessarily a negative thing’.

She said: ‘We have seen an increase in the recording of sexual offences, but this has been in part as a result of our proactive approach to encouraging victims to come forward.

‘We ensure that all offences disclosed to us by victims are correctly captured and recorded in their initial report, which does contribute to some of the increase in the number of crimes recorded rather than an actual increase in crime committed in the last year.’

Rising numbers of recorded sex offences has also been seen in Gosport, 302 from 259, Fareham, 276 from 255, and Havant, 463 from 459. DCI Andrews said the increase in recorded crime can show victims have more confidence to speak to police.

‘These offences can be incredibly traumatic for victims and no-one should feel reluctant to report this kind of crime,’ she added. ‘We want to reassure residents across Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport and Havant – as well as the wider Hampshire county – that as a police force we are fully committed to tackling sexual offences. Victims will be listened to, supported and encouraged by police and other support agencies.’

The local statistics follow the national trend, with 199,021 sex crimes recorded in England and Wales, up by 12 per cent.

DCI Andrews said all allegations are treated ‘seriously’ and the force does everything in their power to bring criminals to justice.

She said he hopes high profile cases, including the jailing of rapists Martin Butler, John Horne and Levi Seriki-Walters – among others – encourages victims to speak out. ‘We do recognise that far more needs to be done to tackle this, whether it is violence in the home, harassment suffered on a night out, on public transport or in open spaces, or cultural practices like female genital mutilation,’ she said.

The force has joined the expanded Operation Soteria Bluestone, aiming to transform police response to rape and serious sexual offences. ‘This is an opportunity to achieve real, sustainable change by taking an open and honest look at the way we work within our own organisation, alongside the wider criminal justice system and victim support services,’ DCI Andrews said.

The police chief added officers continue to work with partners – through Operation Rigging – to make Portsmouth safer at night.

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‘We recognise that major societal and cultural changes like this requires not just the police, but support across all sectors,’ she said. ‘Our increased visibility and engagement across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight means women and girls are much more likely to report matters.

‘Sadly, the figures released by ONS are likely to be a more accurate picture of the experiences of women and girls. We are glad that a proportion of women and girls feel able to tell us their experiences, but what we would really want is for those men to behave respectfully and appropriately.’