Sexual offences in Warwickshire doubled over the last two years

The number of sexual offences reported by the Warwickshire Police has almost doubled in the last two years, according to new information released under the Freedom of Information Act.

The county, with a population of just over half a million, has seen an 80.9% increase in reported sex crimes since 2013, with 959 offences and 893 victims recorded in the last year alone.

While the percentage of female victims remains overwhelming, the male proportion has increased by a third to 16%.

More disturbing is the 145% surge in offences committed on children under the age of 13.

This age group saw the largest increase over the last couple years, more than doubling that of teenagers under 16 and older individuals, both of which rose by just under two thirds.

The nationwide upsurge in sex crimes has been linked to the rising popularity of dating apps, such as Grindr and Tinder, which in the last year were implicated in criminal reports 135 and 277 times respectively.

The 55 reports of dating-app related crimes in 2013 — just months after the release of Tinder — nearly quadrupled within the year.

By October 2015 the quantity of annual criminal complaints had risen sevenfold to 412. Offences included rape, child sex grooming and attempted murder.

In Warwickshire the quantity of recorded crimes related to dating apps or websites remains low, although the victim demographic has aged by an average 20 years since 2013.

More disturbing is the 145% surge in offences committed on children under the age of 13.

PlentyOfFish, the self-proclaimed largest dating site with over 3 million active daily users, was repeatedly mentioned in reports, alongside Voodoo, Badoo and Qeep.

Complaints included fraud, blackmail, theft, harassment, indecent messages and sexual offence.

A first-year PPE student commented: “It’s reassuring to see that more people feel comfortable reporting sexual offences to the police.

“However, the rise is very alarming for me, especially as a woman.”

According to a Telegraph survey published last year, 1 in 3 female students in the UK are either sexually assaulted or abused on campus, while half of female undergraduates know someone who has experienced sexual assault or unwanted advances.

The ongoing effects of technology on safety in dating and on campus have yet to be qualified.

The contact page for Warwickshire Police can be found on their website at Warwickshire Police: Contact Us