The number of rapes and sexual offences being reported to Thames Valley Police has reached the highest figure in at least three years.
Nearly 7,000 rape and sexual offences have been reported to Thames Valley Police in the past year, figures obtained from the police force through a Freedom of Information request by Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice have revealed.
In 2022/23, 6,431 rape and sexual offences were reported to Thames Valley Police, before this number dropped to 6,178 a year later.
Over the past year, the force has seen an increase in reported offences, with the total standing at 6,900.
This is a rise of nearly 12 per cent since 2023/24.
READ MORE: Chinese and Thai nationals arrested in major Oxfordshire Home Office operation
While the amount of offences being reported have risen, a Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: "Outcomes continue to be positive with +18 per cent positive outcomes for rape and +56 per cent for other sexual offences in the year to date."
In response to the new figures, Layla Moran, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, said: "It is horrifying to see so many people suffered sexual violence last year, and very possibly more.
"My heart goes out to every survivor, their friends and their family.
"Every rape and sexual assault is a tragedy that should never have happened.
"We all have a duty to ensure everyone is safe from sexual violence.
READ MORE: Oxford University 'honoured' to be named best in world for record 10th year
"Where this does occur, every survivor needs to feel confident to report the crime.
"They need to know they will be treated with respect and dignity, that their experience will be investigated thoroughly.
"It is not acceptable that sexual predators should remain free while the people they have attacked often endure lengthy, traumatic processes just to be heard.
"I was concerned to hear that funding for Independent Sexual Violence Advocates (ISVAs) has moved from Survivor Space to Thames Valley Police.
"We need to know the impact that change will have on survivors coming forward, particularly if they have had poor experiences with the police in the past.
"Meanwhile, I understand the counselling waiting list for survivors of sexual violence is growing, resulting in delays of two years or more."
The Lib Dem MP added: "While the figures provided by Thames Valley Police are encouraging, I worry about these recent funding changes.
"We need to do more to protect and support survivors, not less."
City councillor and cabinet member for a safer Oxford, Lubna Arshad, added: "Sadly, rape and sexual assault remain a scourge in our society with six of every seven rapes committed by a partner.
"I commend the bravery of victims and survivors for reporting these offences to the police, and the work they do to investigate these heinous crimes.
"That's why Oxford City Council grant fund Survivor Space Oxford who do important work to support survivors of sexual abuse, rape and harassment across Oxfordshire."
Nationally, between January and March this year, a total of 98 rape prosecutions were abandoned, with the Crown Prosecution Service being accused of betraying victims due to a lack of support and long waits for cases to come to court.
Official CPS figures have seen the number of rape prosecutions being ditched rise from 160 in 2020/21 to 608 in 2024/25.
READ MORE: Man dies on Oxfordshire market town's high street
Policy advisor at The Survivors Trust, Lucy Duckworth, said: “I think we need a huge cultural and societal shift, such as making it mandatory for all police and frontline staff to have training in working with survivors of sexual violence, because we are now looking at around 14 million adult survivors in this country.
“A lot of this comes down to the ‘victim-blaming’ culture that exists within our society, which, of course, puts people off.
“One of the main problems is that we intervene once the offence has already happened, we have got to stop trying to address the symptoms of abuse rather than the actual abuse itself.”
Share