In the wake of heightened public awareness around sexual offences, particularly around celebrity investigations such as the recent Russell Brand case and the ongoing impact of the #MeToo movement, Lincolnshire finds itself grappling with a surge in recorded sexual offences and stalking.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals a concerning rise in these crimes over the past eight years, prompting a closer examination of the figures and the response from Lincolnshire Police.

The ONS data, corroborated by Lincolnshire Police, indicates that this year witnessed the highest number of sexual offence reports, recorded at 2,494, in the eight years on record.

Since 2016, sexual offences have primarily risen by 113.71% from 1,167, even taking into account the pandemic year.

The #MeToo movement, which gained significant traction in October 2017, has played a pivotal role in shaping conversations around sexual abuse, harassment, and rape culture.

The movement, which built on the campaign started by sexual abuse survivor and activist Tarana Burke in 2006, began as a hashtag on social media to demonstrate the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment.

It has since evolved into a broader movement, advocating for changes in policies and legislation related to sexual violence.

The figures from Lincolnshire are particularly striking in the context of this movement.

The data shows a spike from 1,175 reports at the end of March 2017 to 1,562 at the end of March 2018—an increase of 32.94%—in the year the hashtag #MeToo spread on social media.

However, it's not just sexual offences that have seen a significant increase. Stalking and harassment offences have risen from 1,045 to 7,670 since being recorded in 2018—a 633.97% increase.

This rise means that stalking and harassment have quickly become Lincolnshire Police's fourth-highest crime and account for 13% of the force's total crime.

DCI Rachael Cox of Lincolnshire Police said: "We are determined to eradicate violence against women and girls and treat cases of stalking and harassment extremely seriously.

"Lincolnshire Police are working tirelessly alongside our partners to identify risks, implement new initiatives to help safeguard the public and support victims in our county."

The police force has been proactive in addressing these issues, establishing the Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP) team and supporting initiatives like StreetSafe, a website and app allowing people to report where they don't feel safe.

The force has also been recognised regionally for its Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) work and initiatives.

However, police also clarified that the rise in numbers might not necessarily indicate an actual increase in incidents, but could be due to changes in how crimes are recorded.

Significant alterations were made in 2018 to the National Standard for Crime Recording. The effects of those changes began to impact recorded numbers in 2019.

DCI Cox elaborated: "These changes, alongside an increase in internal training and the shifting culture around reporting sexual offences, are among the driving factors behind the rise in stalking and harassment numbers."

The force is also engaging directly with victims and survivors through the VAWG Voices group and has conducted a VAWG survey in conjunction with the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Office, which has seen nearly 3,000 residents aged 11 or over complete it.

The recent controversies surrounding Russell Brand have further intensified discussions around celebrity sexual abuse and historic allegations, raising concerns about the trustworthiness of the police in handling such sensitive issues.

In response to these concerns and the broader issues of sexual abuse, stalking, and harassment, Lincolnshire Police are currently providing training around domestic abuse and are scoping further training in relation to trauma-informed practice.

DCI Cox concluded, "We're always analysing crime data to ensure our activity is targeted, effective, and preventive where possible.

"And we will continue to work with our partners to make Lincolnshire the safest place to live, work and visit and would encourage anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence to contact us."

PCC looks to prioritise victim support and addressing recording discrepancies

Marc Jones, the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner, stressed the importance of treating all allegations of sexual offences, stalking, and harassment with utmost seriousness.

He acknowledges the discrepancy between the rise in recorded incidents and the actual number of victims due to changes in recording methods.

"All allegations of sexual offence, stalking or harassment should, and are, taken very seriously by Lincolnshire Police," he said.

"The way in which these crimes are recorded has changed, which has seen a rise in recorded incidents that does not correlate to an equal rise in the number of victims.

"What really matters, however, is ensuring all victims and survivors receive the service they deserve, both when they report an incident and as they cope with recovery.

"I established an independent panel to assess the work being done by the force to tackle stalking, harassment and sexual crimes, which are mainly perpetuated against women and girls, to ensure our communities can have the confidence to come forward and report incidents.

"I have also successfully bid for additional funding to further enhance victim services – specifically aimed at supporting the survivors of sexual offences.

"More can always be done and I will continue to work to reduce the number of victims of crime across the county and see those responsible for their suffering held to account for their crimes."

Spring Lodge: A beacon of support for victims of sexual violence in Lincolnshire

Spring Lodge, run by Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, is a sexual assault referral centre (SARC) that supports any adult, regardless of gender, who has experienced sexual violence.

Jointly commissioned by the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner and NHS England and Improvement, the centre is dedicated to offering comprehensive assistance.

Neil Wells, SARC and Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVA) Manager at LPFT, elaborated on the centre's mission and services: "We support any adult, who has been raped, sexually assaulted or sexually abused at any point in their lives.

"Our team of crisis workers, ISVAs and support workers have been specially trained and we have someone on hand 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide advice and support.

"We aim to empower clients to have the confidence to make their own decisions about their recovery.

"Our ISVA team in particular can help with everything from understanding any possible legal case and the police process, even if clients don't want to make things formal, through to moving on and receiving emotional and wellbeing support.

"We also provide forensic medical examinations, as well as the opportunity to gather intelligence from victims wishing to tell the police about their perpetrator without reporting or giving their name.

"As a part of LPFT, we can support clients to access further mental health and counselling services, without having to go through their GP, which is welcomed by clients who do not wish to have to tell their story all over again."

For more details on the services provided by Spring Lodge, please visit the organisation website.

Although the centre is based in Lincoln, Stamford and Grantham residents, and those from the surrounding villages can still seek help online and over the phone by calling 01522 524402.

Alternatively, Lincolnshire Police have shared a list of advice and support services in place for victims of rape and sexual assault.