The number of rapes recorded by the police in England and Wales has risen by 31% in the past year to 24,043 – the highest level since for at least 10 years, according to the Office of National Statistics.
The official statisticians say the increase in rapes and a 22% rise in all sexual offences reflects a greater willingness among victims to come forward to report attacks and better recording by the police.
The rise in rape is revealed by the quarterly crime figures published on Thursday, which also show an 11% fall in overall crime levels in the 12 months to September 2014 compared with the previous year, according to the authoritative crime survey of England and Wales. The separate measure of police recorded crime figures show no change in the 12 months to September 2014.
The 11% fall confirms a continuing downward trend in overall crime levels which are now at their lowest level since 1981. Particularly strong falls were seen in car crime and criminal damage both of which fell by 15% according to the official crime survey.
ONS statisticians said the renewed focus on improving the quality of police compliance with national standards for the crime figures led to more crimes being recorded than previously.
They point to findings in the crime survey, which interviews 40,000 people about their experience of crime, that there has been no significant long-term change in the rate of sexual offending as evidence that the increase in rape figures reflects better reporting and recording than a real rise in attacks.
