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Suffolk Police respond as it is revealed majority of sexual offence victims are children




Suffolk Police said it is committed to investigating allegations of sexual abuse after just four per cent of reports resulted in a charge within a 12 month period.

Meanwhile, new data has revealed the majority of reports related to children aged 11-17.

Figures from a Freedom of Information request (FOI), showed that 2,619 rape and sexual offences were reported to Suffolk Police, between September 2023 to September 2024. Just 93 of the offences reported resulted in a charge or summons.

Suffolk Police have responded to the FOI data. Picture: Submitted
Suffolk Police have responded to the FOI data. Picture: Submitted

According to the data, provided by Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice (SACA), the majority of the reports related to children between the ages of 11-17.

Detective Superintendent Nicky Wallace, from Suffolk Police, said: “Children and young people are the most vulnerable in society, so the figures of reported incidents involving children as victims are extremely concerning.

“Suffolk Police is committed to keeping young people safe, both in person and online.

Detective Superintendent Nicky Wallace of Suffolk Police. Picture: Suffolk Police
Detective Superintendent Nicky Wallace of Suffolk Police. Picture: Suffolk Police

“We work closely with our partners, including the Suffolk Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), which involves police, county council, education and health, among others, to address issues of risk of harm, abuse and neglect.”

Dep Supt Wallace said any allegations of sexual abuse would be fully investigated and the police would provide the highest level support and care to any victim while investigations were carried out.

Commenting on the data, she said: “Many of the reports indicated in this FOI are still being investigated, due to both the complex nature and the depth of investigation required in many of these cases.

“However there can be a number of reasons why a report of sexual abuse does not result in a charge; these include victims not yet ready to proceed with a report to court, often due to trauma, and the challenges for investigators to gather evidence to a criminal burden of proof.”

Det Supt Wallace said sexual abuse could be anything from street harassment, up-skirting and indecent exposure to sexual assault and rape.

Sexual abuse can also occur online, and the FOI figures include online offences between children where support and safeguarding education were the outcomes sought by the police – not criminal charges.

The impact of high-profile incidents, media coverage and public campaigns encouraging victims to report recent and historical offences to the police could result in annual variations in the number of sexual offences recorded.

The data has been provided by Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice. Picture: Submitted
The data has been provided by Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice. Picture: Submitted

Key data from the sexual offences FOI

The most common sexual offence reported to Suffolk Police in the last year was sexual assault on a female aged-13-or-over, of which there were 734.

Rape of a female aged-16-and-over was the second most common offence, accounting for 606 reports, while a further 189 offences were reported for sexual assault on a female child under-the-age-of-13.

According to the force, the majority of rape and sexual offence victims in the last year were between the ages of 11-17, while the most common age group for suspects was between 18-30.

For more information, or to report rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences, visit the Suffolk Police website.

Suffolk has a dedicated sexual assault referral centre (SARC), known as The Ferns, which provides specialist, tailored support to victims through crisis workers and independent sexual violence advisers.

The SARC can carry our medical examinations following a recent rape or sexual assault, which can be done without any police involvement.

If a victim does decide to talk to police following an incident, this can be arranged.

More information about The Ferns can be found here.