Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2024-25

Sexual Crimes

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, the number of Sexual crimes recorded by the police in Scotland increased by 3% from 14,484 to 14,892. In the last 10 years, the number of Sexual crimes has increased by 45% from 10,273 in 2015-16 to 14,892 in 2024-25.

Figure 9. Sexual crime has increased significantly since 2010-11 and is at the second highest level since 1971.

Sexual crimes recorded by the police, Scotland, 1971 to 1994, 1995‑96 to 2024-25.

Note: Data are incomplete for 1975 due to local government reorganisation.

Figure 9 above shows the number of Sexual crimes from 1971 onwards. Sexual crime is now at the second highest level since 1971. Sexual crimes have been on a long-term upward trend since that point, with some fluctuations, however annual growth in the recording of these crimes has been generally greater since 2011-12 than the preceding years.

A number of legislative and procedural changes should be kept in mind when reviewing trends in Sexual crimes over the longer term. These are presented in Annex 1.

In addition to these changes, the issue of historical reporting of sexual crime also continues to play a role in the latest statistics. Further information from Police Scotland suggests that 25% of Sexual crimes in 2024-25 were recorded at least one year after they occurred. This figure is slightly higher than the 24% reported for 2023-24. Furthermore, as discussed below, the use of specific codes to record sexual crime also highlights where crimes were committed prior to December 2010.

There were 646 crimes of Lewd and libidinous practices in 2024-25. These crimes should all relate to offences which occurred prior to the implementation of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 on 1 December 2010, as the Act replaced Lewd and libidinous practices with specific sexual assault crimes. As a result, we know that these are historical (non-recent) offences. Similarly, there were 335 crimes of Rape and attempted rape and 153 crimes of Sexual assault committed prior to 1 December 2010. Further information on this change is available in the User Guide.

Tables A4 and A5 in the 'Supporting documents' Excel workbook contains more detailed breakdowns for Sexual crimes.

The increase in sexual cyber-crimes has also had an impact on long term trends. We estimate that the volume of Sexual crimes that were cyber-crimes has increased from 1,100 in 2013-14, as recorded in Scottish Government research published in 2017, to 4,070 in 2024-25. Further information on this is available in the Cyber-crime chapter.

The national rate of Sexual crimes was 27 crimes per 10,000 population in 2024-25. This has increased from 26 crimes per 10,000 population in 2023-24, and 19 crimes per 10,000 population in 2015-16.

Figure 10. What makes up Sexual crime?

Proportions of Sexual crime by crime category, Scotland, 2024-25.

Figure 10 above shows the proportion of Sexual crimes that each crime category represents in Scotland in 2024-25.

The specific age of the victim cannot generally be determined from the data supplied by Police Scotland. However, many of the sexual crime codes used by the police to record crime are based on specific age groupings in line with the legislation (for example, Sexual assault of older male child (13-15 years)). This will include where the perpetrator targets someone they believed to be a child (for example, through cyber-enabled sexual crime). By adding up all these crime codes, we know that at least 34% of the 14,892 Sexual crimes recorded by the police in 2024-25 related to a victim under the age of 18.

Figure 11 below presents the crime categories within Sexual crimes over the latest 10 years and gives an indication of the trend and scale of each category.

Figure 11. Sexual assault has consistently been the largest category of sexual crimes in each of the last 10 years.

Sexual crimes recorded by the police, by category, Scotland, 2015-16 to 2024-25.

Rape & attempted rape

Recorded crimes of Rape and attempted rape increased by 15%, from 2,522 in 2023-24 to 2,897 in 2024-25. There was a 60% increase over the 10 year period between 2015-16 and 2024-25, from 1,809 to 2,897 crimes.

In 2024-25, 2,562 (88%) of the 2,897 recorded rapes and attempted rapes were committed after the introduction of the Sexual Offences Scotland Act 2009 on 1st December 2010. Of these 2,562 rapes and attempted rapes, 95% (2,440) had female victims.

Sexual assault

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, recorded crimes of Sexual assault increased by 2% from 5,025 to 5,124. There was a 29% increase over the 10 year period between 2015-16 and 2024-25, from 3,963 to 5,124 crimes.

In 2024-25, 4,325 (84%) of the 5,124 sexual assaults were committed after the introduction of the Sexual Offences Scotland Act 2009 on 1st December 2010. Of these 4,325 sexual assaults, 86% (3,705) had female victims.

Causing to view sexual activity or images

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, recorded crimes of Causing to view sexual activity or images decreased by 3% from 2,227 to 2,161. There was a 43% increase over the 10 year period between 2015-16 and 2024-25, from 1,507 to 2,161 crimes.

Communicating indecently

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, recorded crimes of Communicating indecently decreased by 10% from 1,581 to 1,415. There was a 20% increase over the 10 year period between 2015-16 and 2024-25, from 1,180 to 1,415 crimes.

Threatening to or disclosing intimate images

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, recorded crimes of Threatening to or disclosing intimate images decreased by 1% from 781 to 770.

This category includes crimes being recorded under the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016, which was implemented on 3 July 2017. Since then, these crimes were on an upwards trend until 2021-22 but have decreased in each of the last three years, falling by 16% from a peak of 912 in 2021-22.

Indecent photos of children

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, recorded crimes of Indecent photos of children increased by 11% from 747 to 828. There was a 28% increase over the 10 year period between 2015-16 and 2024-25, from 645 to 828 crimes.

Crimes associated with prostitution

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, recorded Crimes associated with prostitution increased by 54% from 72 to 111. There was a 55% decrease over the 10 year period between 2015-16 and 2024-25, from 247 to 111 crimes.

The increase is driven by a 157% increase in Soliciting services of a person engaged in prostitution in Glasgow City, from 14 crimes in 2023-24 to 36 crimes in 2024-25. This lead to a 75% increase in Crimes associated with prostitution in Glasgow City, from 32 crimes in 2023-24 to 56 crimes in 2024-25. Half (50%) of the crimes recorded in 2024-25 were in the Glasgow City area.

Other sexual crimes

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, recorded Other sexual crimes increased by 4% from 1,529 to 1,586. There was a 72% increase over the 10 year period between 2015-16 and 2024-25, from 922 to 1,586 crimes.

The Other sexual crimes category includes a wide range of crime types. The largest by volume was Voyeurism, accounting for almost a third (31%) of all crimes recorded in the Other sexual crimes category in 2024-25 (492 crimes). More detail on the crimes included in Other sexual crimes is provided in the 'Supporting documents' Excel workbook and in the User Guide.