Sex crimes: Rates skyrocket in Stonnington

Surprising new State-wide data reveals rates of rape and other sex crimes have skyrocketed in some areas, with police saying its partly because more people are reporting crimes.

Police laid more than 2480 sex charges across Victoria in the 12 months to September, but also reported that 2280 cases were unsolved.

Rape and other sex crimes have skyrocketed in Stonnington, up 335 per cent in the past decade, a Leader analysis of State crime stats has found.

And surprising new State-wide data reveals police laid 660 fewer sex charges than the previous year, while unsolved sex offences jumped by 962.

Crime Stats Victoria data lists 248 sex offences in Stonnington for the 12 months to September, police attributing some of that to a more vigilant community prepared to report crimes.

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A range of new offences had also been added to the criminal code.

Victoria Police acting assistant commissioner for family violence Murray Fraser said rising child sex abuse figures was likely due to more community reporting.

“Victoria Police has come a long way in recent years regarding our responses to sexual crime, raising community awareness and challenging attitudes, providing safety to victims and referring them to support services so they get the assistance they need,” Mr Fraser said.

There were 1715 sexual offences against children in the 12 months to September last year.

The fastest growth in reported sexual offences were for past, unreported crimes, he said.

“The crime statistic data is based on the date the report was made to police and is not reflective of how many incidents have occurred during that particular time period,” he said.

An increase in reporting did not necessarily mean an increase in the number of offences committed.

“There are likely to be many contributing factors as to why the public are coming forward to report child sexual abuse,” Mr Fraser said.

Police laid more than 2480 sex charges across Victoria in the 12 months to September, but also reported that 2280 cases were unsolved.

For the same period a year earlier, charges were laid for more than 3140 incidents, while the number of unsolved incidents was 1318.

Local government areas with a high sexual offence rate were Alpine (1180 per 100,000 people), Benella (658 per 100,000 people) and Wodonga (644 per 100,000 people).

Only eight local government areas recorded a decrease compared to 2009, including Mount Alexander (down 70 per cent), Macedon Ranges (down 63 per cent) and Loddon (down 42 per cent).

Statewide figures for offences include:

Rape — 4454 for 2018 up 63 per cent from 2009 but down 2 per cent from 2017.

Indecent assault — 6584 — up 119 per cent from 2009 but down 6 per cent from 2017.

Incest — 524 — up 68 per cent from 2009 but down 7 per cent from 2017.

Sexual offences against children — 1715

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