500,000 rapes a year

Sexual violence is at endemic levels in the UK. We estimate there are over 500,000 rapes a year*; well over half occurring by the age of 24*.

Full time students are 5x* more likely to be raped than any other demographic group, and Young women and girls have a 5% chance of being raped each year. They have an 8% chance of being a smoker. Based on our rape estimate a woman is twice as likely to be raped as be diagnosed with cancer*

Rapes are concentrated in major cities with high numbers of secondary school, sixth form college, and University students.

Due to the extremely arduous process and the very low likelihood of justice being served, only 15% of rapes are reported to the police. Of those the vast majority of survivors withdraw from the process extremely quickly as they realise how hard it is going to be. Due to the difficulties of proving consent and guilt beyond reasonable doubt, only about 3% of accusations reach court*, and just over half deliver a guilty verdict,* usually several years after the crime was committed

Out of the estimated over 500,000 rapes committed 1,600* rapists can expect to be found guilty. As the Victims Commissioner said: “Rape has effectively been decriminalized”

* Sources: ONS police reported rapes (2024/5) 71,540 (England and Wales), 2,897 in Scotland (Scottish gov), 1,218 in N. Ireland (PSNI); % of rapes and sexual assaults reported to police (2020-24) 14.7% (England & Wales); 22% Scotland (Scot crime survey 2019-20), est 14.9% in N.Ireland (Enough). Convictions (2024-25) MoJ Eng & Wales, Scottish gov (2023-24), PPS N. Ireland. 90% of rapes are women (ONS 2024/25), 201,010 cancer diagnoses of women (World cancer research fund 2022-23)