Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2025-26

Sexual crimes

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, the number of Sexual crimes recorded by the police in Scotland increased by 10% from 14,892 to 16,430. In the last 10 years, the number of Sexual crimes has increased by 48% from 11,092 in 2016-17 to 16,430 in 2025-26.

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

Sexual crimes recorded by the police (000s), Scotland, 1971 to 1994, 1995‑96 to 2025-26.

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

Figure 9 above shows the number of recorded Sexual crimes from 1971 onwards. Sexual crimes are now at the highest level since 1971. There has been a long-term upward trend since that point, with some fluctuations, however annual growth in the recording of these crimes has generally been greater since 2011-12.

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 the User Guide.

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 26% of Sexual crimes in 2025-26 were recorded at least one year after they occurred. This figure is slightly higher than the 25% reported for 2024-25. 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 603 crimes of Lewd and libidinous practices in 2025-26. 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 332 crimes of Rape and attempted rape and 175 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 contain 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 4,410 in 2025-26. Further information on this is available in the Cyber-crime chapter.

The national rate of Sexual crimes was 30 crimes per 10,000 population in 2025-26. This has increased from 27 crimes per 10,000 population in 2024-25, and 21 crimes per 10,000 population in 2016-17.

Figure 10. What makes up Sexual crime?

Proportions of Sexual crime by crime category, Scotland, 2025-26.

Figure 10 above shows the proportion of Sexual crimes that each crime category represents in Scotland in 2025-26.

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 32% of the 16,430 Sexual crimes recorded by the police in 2025-26 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. In the majority of crime categories within the Sexual crimes group, the number of recorded crimes has increased since 2016-17.

Sexual crimes recorded by the police (000s), by category, Scotland, 2016-17 to 2025-26.

Rape & attempted rape

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded crimes of Rape and attempted rape increased by 11% from 2,897 to 3,229. There was a 72% increase over the 10 year period between 2016-17 and 2025-26, from 1,878 to 3,229 crimes.

Recorded crimes of Rape and attempted rape are now at the highest level since 1971.

In 2025-26, 2,897 (90%) of the 3,229 recorded rapes and attempted rapes were committed after the introduction of the Sexual Offences Scotland Act 2009 on 1st December 2010. Of these 2,897 rapes and attempted rapes, 95% (2,755) had female victims.

Sexual assault

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded crimes of Sexual assault increased by 2% from 5,124 to 5,222. There was a 22% increase over the 10 year period between 2016-17 and 2025-26, from 4,281 to 5,222 crimes.

In 2025-26, 4,444 (85%) of the 5,222 sexual assaults were committed after the introduction of the Sexual Offences Scotland Act 2009 on 1st December 2010. Of these 4,444 sexual assaults, 87% (3,883) had female victims.

Causing to view sexual activity or images

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded crimes of Causing to view sexual activity or images increased by 19% from 2,161 to 2,561. There was a 58% increase over the 10 year period between 2016-17 and 2025-26, from 1,624 to 2,561 crimes.

Recorded crimes of Causing to view sexual activity or images are now at the highest level since 1971.

Communicating indecently

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded crimes of Communicating indecently increased by 30% from 1,415 to 1,834. There was a 57% increase over the 10 year period between 2016-17 and 2025-26, from 1,166 to 1,834 crimes.

These crimes are at the highest level since implementation of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 on 1 December 2010.

Threatening to or disclosing intimate images

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded crimes of Threatening to or disclosing intimate images increased by 16% from 770 to 897.

This category includes crimes being recorded under the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016, which was implemented on 3 July 2017.

Indecent photos of children

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded crimes of Indecent photos of children increased by 17% from 828 to 965. There was a 49% increase over the 10 year period between 2016-17 and 2025-26, from 649 to 965 crimes.

These crimes are at the highest level since they were separately identifiable within the statistics from 2009-10.

Crimes associated with prostitution

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded Crimes associated with prostitution decreased by 29% from 111 to 79. There was a 74% decrease over the 10 year period between 2016-17 and 2025-26, from 303 to 79 crimes.

Other sexual crimes

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded Other sexual crimes increased by 4% from 1,586 to 1,643. There was a 38% increase over the 10 year period between 2016-17 and 2025-26, from 1,191 to 1,643 crimes.

The Other sexual crimes category includes a wide range of crime types. The largest crime type by volume was Voyeurism (Voyeurism, Voyeurism older child (13-15), Voyeurism young child (under 13)), accounting for more than two fifths (41%) of all crimes recorded in the Other sexual crimes category in 2025-26 (672 crimes). More detail on the crimes included in Other sexual crimes is provided in table A4 in the 'Supporting documents' Excel workbook and in the User Guide.