Reports of rape and sexual assault offences have dropped over the past year

Dorset Police received 849 reports of rape offences during the 12 months to March 2020, a number which dropped to 683 the following year from April 2020 to March 2021.

A decrease in reports of nearly 20 per cent.

Similarly, Dorset Police received 878 reports of sexual assault offences during the 12 months to March 2020, which dropped to 685 the following year - a decrease of more than 20 per cent.

Dot Pickett, manager of Safe and Sound Dorset, a charity working with women who are isolated or at risk, said: “During the pandemic we did normal outreach on a Friday night for a while but then we stopped by April 2020.

“This was because there were hardly any people on the street. Most of the women we regularly see were being housed in B&Bs or were given temporary accommodation elsewhere over the pandemic March 2020-April 2021.

“This housing made a huge difference. There were fewer men walking the streets. There were fewer cars driving around. The whole dynamic of the regular street changed.

“Therefore, our observation would be that opportunity for sexual assault and rape out on the street would have declined during the pandemic.

“This would indicate that there were likely to be less assaults and crimes committed or reported from the street."

Safe and Sound Dorset moved their services online during the pandemic, delivering food parcels and craft kits and offering Zoom check-ins to replace drop-in sessions.

Ms Pickett said: “We did have reports of some domestic violence in homes. We were able to refer women to the Freedom course (BCHA) and some were housed in refuges.

“Statistics from the charity Refuge report a 60 per cent increase on the number of monthly calls to its National Domestic Abuse helpline. Women experiencing domestic abuse may find it difficult to contact services and lockdown conditions might have made this even more challenging for some.

“It’s possible that women/men being assaulted in a home might not be reported if the person felt they became more at risk.

“We also referred women to The Shores for sexual assault incidences that happened in homes during the pandemic. The Shores work alongside the police.”

Superintendent Joan Carmichael, of Dorset Police, said: “Dorset Police takes all reports of sexual offences very seriously and officers are committed to carrying out thorough investigations to bring offenders to justice.

“We know that sexual offences can have a lifelong impact on victims and therefore, we work closely with our partner agencies to tackle these offences and provide extensive support.

“The reduction in the number of rape and sexual assaults in 2020 may be linked to the national lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the closure of the night-time economy, meaning there was less social interaction between the public. The decrease in reports seen in Dorset is in line with the national picture.

“As restrictions were eased across the country, Operation Vigilant was launched this summer in a bid to prevent sexual offences from taking place within Bournemouth and Weymouth town centres as there were more people enjoying the area's bars and clubs. Using a combination of uniformed and plain-clothed officers, patrols are carried out to identify individuals who may be displaying signs of unacceptable behaviour, such as sexual harassment, inappropriate touching and loitering.

“Plain-clothed officers call in a uniformed intervention team when such behaviours are observed. The intervention team will then consider their powers of arrest, dispersal powers or search powers depending on the circumstances observed.

“We have also strengthened our working practices with our partner agencies to collaboratively step up resources in town centres. Local officers conducted high-visibility patrols and a campaign was launched to remind the public where they can find immediate help, emergency assistance and support if they were concerned about their own and others safety.

“I would strongly encourage anyone who has been the victim of a sexual assault, whether recently or in the past, to contact Dorset Police using the online form www.dorset.police.uk/do-it-online or by telephone to 101. In an emergency always call 999. Not everyone will wish to involve the police at first, but if that is the case please use the services provided anonymously by The Shores at 0800 970 9954 or www.the-shores.org.uk.”