The number of people reporting non-recent incidents of sexual abuse has risen.
During a performance and accountability meeting with Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne, Deputy Chief Constable Julia Chapman said there had been a 52 per cent increase in such reports since October.
Between October and December 2020, 182 non-recent incidents – which used to be known as historic cases – were reported while the figure was 276 incidents between January and March.
Ms Chapman said:
“We see that as a really positive step and that’s because people are hopefully getting confidence to talk about what’s happened to them in the past and report it.”
She also spoke about Operation Hydrant and the recent work with both the Department for Education and the NSPCC to set up a helpline for victims of sexual abuse both past and present.
Operation Hydrant was launched nationwide in 2014 to coordinate police response to non-recent child sexual abuse investigations concerning institutions – such as schools or churches – and people of public prominence.
All reports given via the NSPCC helpline will be investigated via Operation Hydrant – though those in which people’s safety is at immediate risk are forwarded to the local police force.
To contact the helpline, call 0808 800 5000, email help@nspcc.org.uk or log on to www.nspcc.org.uk .
Ms Chapman stressed that people can still contact the police directly.
She told the meeting that, as of the end of March, Sussex Police had investigated 211 people suspected of non-recent abuse – anything which took place more than a year ago – involving 301 victims.
Investigations into 41 people are still live, while 39 people were convicted of crimes involving 90 victims.
They included music teacher Andrew Wilson, who was convicted in 2019 of 19 sex offences – including 16 offences against three children – which took place in Warnham.
As well as calling the helpline, victims and witnesses have been reporting crimes online.
Ms Chapman said that, since March, 88 incidents involving violence against women and girls had been reported online, including one report of non-recent sexual assault which was prompted by the Sarah Everard case.
To report a crime to Sussex Police online, log on to www.sussex.police.uk/reportcrime . The page includes information about what happens after you report a crime and what support is available for victims and witnesses.
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