SEX ATTACK:More Than 20 Sex Attacks Happening Every Week In Britain
More than 20 sex attacks are being reported every week in Britain's pubs, clubs, and bars, new data from police has revealed.The statistics, released to BuzzFeed News under freedom of information (FOI) laws, show an average of 23 rapes or sexual assaults are reported each week at licensed premises across England and Wales.
However, the figures – which show there were 1,246 reported attacks in the year to 5 April 2017, across 26 police forces – are likely to be only the tip of the iceberg, as close to half of forces didn't provide data and the vast majority of sexual assaults are not reported to police, campaigners say.
Women around the country said the scale of the problem is so huge that some go on a night out expecting to be assaulted, or regularly leave clubs or bars because of harassment
The force with the most reported attacks was London's Metropolitan
police, with 359 incidents during the 2016/17 financial year. This
marked an increase from 358 the previous financial year, and 287 the
year before that.
In Mersey side there were 99 reported incidents over the year, while in West Yorkshire there were 71, in Kent there were 64, and in Surrey there were 60. Of those that responded, the force with the lowest number of recorded incidents was Derby shire, with just five potential crimes reported in the last financial year.
Many forces failed or refused to respond to request, including Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, which cover the whole of Scotland and Northern Ireland between them. Some said they were unable to supply figures as they did not separately record how many sex crimes were happening in licensed premises.
Several other forces covering big cities, including West Midlands Police (which covers Birmingham), Greater Manchester Police, and Northumbria Police (which covers Newcastle), also failed to provide the data, meaning that the number of reported sex attacks in licensed premises is likely to be at least double the figure of 23 a week.
The data provided by police shows that while both men and women have been victims of sexual violence, the vast majority of victims are female.
One of the women, Louise, who asked not to use her real name, said she believes assaults in nightclubs, bars, and pubs, often by drunk men, are treated differently to those in other public places.
“Imagine someone groping you in Tesco,” she said. “It's just not acceptable. I don't reckon if they were drunk in Tesco it would be the same. I get that drink is a factor but it doesn't mean a woman wants a random grope.”
Sarah Green, from the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said: “Given that these are recorded crimes these [police figures] are high numbers. We know there are low levels of reporting of sexual assault and sexual harassment, a lot of under reporting. Women are told to belittle their own feelings rather than do something about it.
“Those who run licensed premises should look at training of staff and how to encourage people to report any behavior they don't like.
“While responsibility lies with those who are committing these crimes, those people make a decision about whether they can get away with it or not.”
In Mersey side there were 99 reported incidents over the year, while in West Yorkshire there were 71, in Kent there were 64, and in Surrey there were 60. Of those that responded, the force with the lowest number of recorded incidents was Derby shire, with just five potential crimes reported in the last financial year.
Many forces failed or refused to respond to request, including Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, which cover the whole of Scotland and Northern Ireland between them. Some said they were unable to supply figures as they did not separately record how many sex crimes were happening in licensed premises.
Several other forces covering big cities, including West Midlands Police (which covers Birmingham), Greater Manchester Police, and Northumbria Police (which covers Newcastle), also failed to provide the data, meaning that the number of reported sex attacks in licensed premises is likely to be at least double the figure of 23 a week.
The data provided by police shows that while both men and women have been victims of sexual violence, the vast majority of victims are female.
One of the women, Louise, who asked not to use her real name, said she believes assaults in nightclubs, bars, and pubs, often by drunk men, are treated differently to those in other public places.
“Imagine someone groping you in Tesco,” she said. “It's just not acceptable. I don't reckon if they were drunk in Tesco it would be the same. I get that drink is a factor but it doesn't mean a woman wants a random grope.”
Sarah Green, from the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said: “Given that these are recorded crimes these [police figures] are high numbers. We know there are low levels of reporting of sexual assault and sexual harassment, a lot of under reporting. Women are told to belittle their own feelings rather than do something about it.
“Those who run licensed premises should look at training of staff and how to encourage people to report any behavior they don't like.
“While responsibility lies with those who are committing these crimes, those people make a decision about whether they can get away with it or not.”
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