Recorded crime in Scotland: 'Other sexual crimes', 2013-2014 and 2016-2017

Report on ‘Other sexual crimes’ recorded by the police in the periods 2013 to 2014 and 2016 to 2017.


Annex B

Please note:

  • Where no records were found a dash (-) has been used to signify this.
  • Where a percentage figure is based on a low base, of less than five records, an asterisk (*) has been used to signify this.
  • Percentages are based on rows (apart from Table 17), and may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Table 5: Gender of victims (where identifiable) by crime type, 2013-14 and 2016-17

2013-14 2016-17
Percentage Number
sampled
Percentage Number
sampled
Crime type Male Female Male Female
Total 18 82 599 21 79 1,035
Communicating indecently 6 94 172 14 86 345
Cause to view sexual activity or images 18 82 65 19 81 336
Sexual activity with older children 12 88 120 18 82 113
Sexual exposure 22 78 183 26 74 125
Voyeurism 18 82 28 22 78 58

Table 6: Gender of perpetrators (where identifiable) by crime type, 2013-14 and 2016-17

2013-14 2016-17
Percentage Number
sampled
Percentage Number
sampled
Crime type Male Female Male Female
Total 96 4 800 95 5 1,096
Communicating indecently 98 * 161 97 3 274
Cause to view sexual activity or images 98 * 57 94 6 234
Indecent photos of children 93 7 174 96 4 178
Sexual activity with older children 92 8 124 89 11 111
Sexual exposure 100 - 144 100 - 103
Public indecency 93 7 75 91 9 69
Voyeurism 96 * 28 92 * 50

Table 7: Age of victims (where identifiable) by crime type, 2013-14 and 2016-17

Percentage Median age Number sampled
Crime type under 13 13-15 16-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+
2016-17
Total 21 38 9 12 7 7 4 2 15 1,001
Communicating indecently 22 41 10 9 7 5 3 * 14 321
Cause to view sexual activity or images 23 30 9 16 7 10 4 * 15 328
Sexual activity with older children * 98 - - - - - - 14 113
Sexual exposure 19 10 12 17 11 14 10 7 25 123
Voyeurism 16 12 10 31 16 16 - - 22 58
2013-14
Total 15 44 8 11 7 7 5 2 15 588
Communicating indecently 16 53 8 7 5 6 * * 15 167
Cause to view sexual activity or images 24 37 11 10 8 8 * - 15 63
Sexual activity with older children * 98 - - - - - - 14 120
Sexual exposure 14 10 9 23 14 14 12 4 27 182
Voyeurism 31 * * * * * - * 20 26

Table 8: Age of perpetrators (where identifiable) by crime type, 2013-14 and 2016-17

Percentage Median age Number sampled
Crime type under 13 13-15 16-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+
2016-17
Total 3 11 18 19 18 15 10 6 29 1,049
Communicating indecently * 16 21 16 17 17 6 6 28 263
Cause to view sexual activity or images 6 14 22 18 15 15 7 4 25 225
Indecent photos of children * 7 11 16 19 15 20 10 37 178
Sexual activity with older children * 14 39 26 11 5 * * 18 109
Sexual exposure * 5 6 22 22 16 13 14 37 100
Public indecency - * * 25 29 19 12 * 35 59
Voyeurism * * * 26 21 19 12 - 31 42
2013-14
Total 1 8 18 26 17 13 11 7 28 775
Communicating indecently * 8 18 36 11 11 6 8 26 158
Cause to view sexual activity or images * * 23 29 13 12 * * 24 52
Indecent photos of children - 3 3 20 25 18 19 11 39 173
Sexual activity with older children - 15 45 24 8 * 5 * 18 123
Sexual exposure * 8 9 22 22 16 12 9 33 138
Public indecency * 7 22 28 16 9 10 * 26 69
Voyeurism - * * * * 20 20 * 35 25

Table 9: Relationship between victim and perpetrator (where identifiable) by crime type, 2013-14 and 2016-17

Percentage Number sampled
Crime type Strangers 1 Acquaintance 2 Partner or Ex-Partner 3 Professional 4 Relative 5
2016-17
Total 42 37 10 6 5 935
Communicating indecently 50 36 4 7 2 308
Cause to view sexual activity or images 45 39 9 3 5 282
Sexual activity with older children 9 47 40 - 5 111
Sexual exposure 65 23 * 5 6 124
Voyeurism 34 34 21 11 - 53
2013-14
Total 41 36 11 6 6 572
Communicating indecently 46 37 3 8 7 156
Cause to view sexual activity or images 27 43 13 * 13 60
Sexual activity with older children 9 54 33 - * 117
Sexual exposure 67 24 * 6 * 181
Voyeurism 52 26 * * * 27

Notes:
1. Strangers - this is where the perpetrator was not known to the victim prior to the crime. Those cyber enabled crimes (i.e. where the internet was used as a means to commit the crime), that include a very short amount of time elapsing between a victim meeting a perpetrator online and the crime occurring have been included in the ‘strangers’ category.
2. Acquaintances - may include friends, neighbours, colleagues, class mates, etc.
3. Partner or ex-partner - where the victim and perpetrator are in a relationship, or had been in one in the past.
4. Professional - this is primarily where the victim has come into contact with the perpetrator due to their occupation. This can include where the victim was a police or prison officer, a nurse, carer, teacher, etc. It also includes a small number of cases where the perpetrator is the ‘professional’ responsible for the victim.
5. Relative - this would include any family members, guardians, step-parents, step-siblings.

Table 10: How crimes are reported / come to the attention of police by crime type, 2013-14 and 2016-17

Percentage Number sampled
Crime type Victim Police 1 Relative or Guardian Witness / other Responsible person 2
2016-17
Total 39 25 20 9 8 1,137
Communicating indecently 42 18 26 5 10 301
Cause to view sexual activity or images 49 9 31 4 8 273
Indecent photos of children 6 81 4 4 5 170
Sexual activity with older children 30 20 23 8 19 107
Sexual exposure 68 5 17 6 5 102
Public indecency - 20 * 75 - 61
Voyeurism 75 * 10 * * 52
2013-14
Total 33 27 19 15 5 751
Communicating indecently 33 21 33 9 6 163
Cause to view sexual activity or images 39 14 23 16 9 57
Indecent photos of children 3 83 8 4 * 155
Sexual activity with older children 25 17 42 * 13 110
Sexual exposure 78 * 9 8 4 139
Public indecency - 10 * 82 * 67
Voyeurism 59 * * 34 - 29

Notes:
1. Police discover crime through investigation, intelligence, or are witness to the crime.
2. A person with some form of professional responsibility towards the people involved in the crime (for example a social worker, teacher, or care home staff)

Table 11: Crimes which are non-recent (i.e. come to the attention of the police more than twelve months after the crime has taken place) by crime type, 2013-14 and 2016-17

Percentage Number
sampled
Crime type Recent Non-recent
2016-17
Total 88 12 1,188
Communicating indecently 91 9 315
Cause to view sexual activity or images 94 6 285
Indecent photos of children 92 8 178
Sexual activity with older children 73 27 113
Sexual exposure 96 * 103
Public indecency 98 * 64
Voyeurism 91 9 54
2013-14
Total 89 11 800
Communicating indecently 87 13 170
Cause to view sexual activity or images 92 8 59
Indecent photos of children 95 5 171
Sexual activity with older children 78 22 123
Sexual exposure 99 * 144
Public indecency 100 - 69
Voyeurism 90 * 29

Table 12: Crimes which are cyber enabled (i.e. where the internet was used as a means to commit the crime) by crime type, 2013-14 and 2016-17

Percentage Number
Crime type Cyber Not cyber sampled
2016-17
Total 51 49 1,188
Communicating indecently 58 42 315
Cause to view sexual activity or images 71 29 285
Indecent photos of children 98 * 178
Sexual activity with older children 8 92 113
Sexual exposure - 100 103
Public indecency - 100 64
Voyeurism 20 80 54
2013-14
Total 38 62 800
Communicating indecently 53 47 170
Cause to view sexual activity or images 63 37 59
Indecent photos of children 97 3 171
Sexual activity with older children - 100 123
Sexual exposure * 98 144
Public indecency - 100 69
Voyeurism * 97 29

Table 13: Gender of victims (where identifiable), for ‘Communicating indecently’ and ‘Cause to view sexual activity or images’ crimes, by whether cyber enabled, 2013-14 and 2016-17

Percentage Number
sampled
Crime type Male Female
2016-17
Cyber enabled 16 84 411
Not cyber enabled 18 82 270
2013-14
Cyber enabled 8 92 126
Not cyber enabled 12 88 111

Table 14: Gender of perpetrators (where identifiable), for ‘Communicating indecently’ and ‘Cause to view sexual activity or images’ crimes, by whether cyber enabled, 2013-14 and 2016-17

Percentage Number
sampled
Crime type Male Female
2016-17
Cyber enabled 96 4 290
Not cyber enabled 94 6 218
2013-14
Cyber enabled 98 * 118
Not cyber enabled 98 * 100

Table 15: Age of victims (where identifiable), for ‘Communicating indecently’ and ‘Cause to view sexual activity or images’ crimes, by whether cyber enabled, 2013-14 and 2016-17

Percentage Median age Number sampled
Crime type under 13 13-15 16-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+
2016-17
Cyber enabled 27 47 9 7 4 4 * * 14 405
Not cyber enabled 15 17 10 22 13 13 8 2 23 244
2013-14
Cyber enabled 20 62 6 6 * * * - 14 125
Not cyber enabled 16 33 12 10 9 11 5 * 16 105

Table 16: Age of perpetrators (where identifiable), for ‘Communicating indecently’ and ‘Cause to view sexual activity or images’ crimes, by whether cyber enabled, 2013-14 and 2016-17

Percentage Median Number
Crime type under 13 13-15 16-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+ age sampled
2016-17
Cyber enabled 4 22 31 15 15 8 3 2 18 279
Not cyber enabled * 6 8 19 18 27 11 10 36 209
2013-14
Cyber enabled * 10 26 46 7 5 * - 23 112
Not cyber enabled * 6 12 21 17 18 9 14 34 98

Table 17: Age of perpetrators by age of victim (where identifiable), for 'Communicating indecently' and 'Cause to view sexual activity or images' crimes, by whether cyber enabled, 2016-17

Victim Age % of total Row % Number
sampled
under 13 13-15 16-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+
2016-17
Cyber enabled crimes
Perpetrator Age under 13 5 - - - - * - - 5 16
13-15 8 11 2 - * * - - 22 65
16-19 5 23 2 * * - - - 31 94
20-29 2 6 3 2 * * - - 15 44
30-39 2 6 * 3 2 * * * 14 43
40-49 2 * * * * * * * 8 23
50-59 * 2 - - * - * - 3 8
60+ * * - * * - - - 2 6
Column % 25 50 8 7 4 3 * * 100 299
Non-cyber enabled crimes
Perpetrator Age under 13 * - - - - - - - * 4
13-15 5 * - * * * * - 8 20
16-19 2 4 * * - - - - 7 16
20-29 * 5 2 5 2 * * * 17 40
30-39 * 3 2 4 2 3 * - 17 42
40-49 2 6 3 7 2 5 * * 27 66
50-59 * * * 2 * 2 2 * 12 30
60+ * * * * 3 2 * - 10 23
Column % 16 21 10 19 12 13 7 2 100 241

Table 18: Relationship between victim and perpetrator (where identifiable), for ‘Communicating indecently’ and ‘Cause to view sexual activity or images’ crimes, by whether cyber enabled, 2013-14 and 2016-17

Percentage Number sampled
Crime type Strangers 1 Acquaintance 2 Partner or Ex-Partner 3 Professional 4 Relative 5
2016-17
Cyber enabled 44 47 6 * 2 331
Not cyber enabled 52 26 6 10 6 259
2013-14
Cyber enabled 49 33 10 * 6 102
Not cyber enabled 30 44 * 12 12 114

Notes:
6. Strangers - this is where the perpetrator was not known to the victim prior to the crime. Those cyber enabled crimes (i.e. where the internet was used as a means to commit the crime), that include a very short amount of time elapsing between a victim meeting a perpetrator online and the crime occurring have been included in the ‘strangers’ category.
7. Acquaintances - may include friends, neighbours, colleagues, class mates, etc.
8. Partner or ex-partner - where the victim and perpetrator are in a relationship, or had been in one in the past.
9. Professional - this is primarily where the victim has come into contact with the perpetrator due to their occupation. This can include where the victim was a police or prison officer, a nurse, carer, teacher, etc. It also includes a small number of cases where the perpetrator is the ‘professional’ responsible for the victim.
10. Relative - this would include any family members, guardians, step-parents, step-siblings.

Table 19: How crimes are reported / come to the attention of police, for ‘Communicating indecently’ and ‘Cause to view sexual activity or images’ crimes, by whether cyber enabled, 2013-14 and 2016-17

Percentage Number sampled
Crime type Victim Police 1 Relative or Guardian Witness / other Responsible person2
2016-17
Cyber enabled 34 15 38 2 11 364
Not cyber enabled 65 11 11 9 5 210
2013-14
Cyber enabled 18 28 37 8 9 122
Not cyber enabled 54 8 21 13 * 98

Notes:
1. Police discover crime through investigation, intelligence, or are witness to the crime.
2. A person with some form of professional responsibility towards the people involved in the crime (for example a social worker, teacher, or care home staff)

Table 20: Location where the crime was committed (when the perpetrator and victim were in the same location) by crime type, 2013-14 and 2016-17

Percentage Number sampled
Crime type Private dwelling / garden Open area1 Private business2 Public Sector3 Public Transport4
2016-17
Total 41 34 12 9 4 541
Communicating indecently 21 34 12 23 11 101
Cause to view sexual activity or images 44 34 12 * * 82
Sexual activity with older children 57 29 10 * * 105
Sexual exposure 27 50 13 6 * 103
Public indecency 20 59 10 * * 61
Voyeurism 63 * 26 * - 38
2013-14
Total 43 39 10 6 2 449
Communicating indecently 33 38 16 9 * 55
Cause to view sexual activity or images 69 * * - - 16
Sexual activity with older children 76 22 - * - 117
Sexual exposure 26 53 9 8 4 140
Public indecency 12 71 12 * * 66
Voyeurism 38 * 54 - - 26

Table 21: Non-cyber enabled crimes which made a reference to alcohol by crime type, 2013-14 and 2016-17

Percentage Number
sampled
Crime type Yes No
2016-17
Total 18 82 583
Communicating indecently 32 68 131
Cause to view sexual activity or images 12 88 84
Indecent photos of children - * 4
Sexual activity with older children 13 88 104
Sexual exposure 16 84 103
Public indecency 22 78 64
Voyeurism 21 79 43
2013-14
Total 20 80 498
Communicating indecently 26 74 80
Cause to view sexual activity or images * 82 22
Indecent photos of children - 100 5
Sexual activity with older children 25 75 123
Sexual exposure 12 88 141
Public indecency 32 68 69
Voyeurism * 93 28

Contact

Email: Jamie Macfarlane, justiceanalysts@gov.scot

Phone: 0300 244 4000 – Central Enquiry Unit

The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

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