Moray ranked worst in Scotland for sexual assault three years in a row

Moray has been ranked as Scotland’s worst area for sexual assaults for the third year in a row, “horrifying” new figures have revealed.

Police Scotland statistics show Moray had the highest rate of recorded sexual assaults, per head of population, of anywhere in Scotland last year.

The rate of 13.3 offences per 10,000 people, which was nearly 50 per cent higher than the national average, was the highest out of all 32 council areas.

Moray was also the worst local authority in 2023-2024 and 2022-2023, with the gap against the Scottish rate widening in recent years.

The new figures have also revealed that sexual assaults have increased more in Moray, on average, than anywhere in Scotland over the last decade.

Reports of sexual crimes have more than doubled over that time period, with a 118 per cent rise.

In total, 335 crimes of sexual violence were reported to the police in Moray last year, with the number of reported rape and attempted rape increasing by nearly a third.

‘Chronically under-funded’

Moray Rape Crisis provides free and confidential support, advocacy and information for people affected by sexual violence.

The service is open to anybody aged 11 and over in Moray, regardless of gender, whether the crime happened recently or in the past.

Manager Caroline Burrell said the charity was often asked if there was “really a need for a service like ours”.

But, she said, in the last year alone MRC has supported 236 survivors of sexual violence in Moray - with referrals increasing by more than 40 per cent in both 2022 and 2023.

Scarce funding and the rising tide of referrals had, “very sadly”, forced the charity to operate with a waiting list.

“No one affected by sexual violence should have to wait months and months for the support they need,” Mrs Burrell added.

“We know that the impacts of sexual violence can be far-reaching, affecting a survivor’s mental and physical health, housing and safety, education, employment, income, relationships and self-esteem.

“More funding is urgently needed to help survivors of sexual violence in Moray have access to support at the time they need it.”

The MRC manager also argued that action was needed to change social attitudes which contribute to the growing problem of sexual violence.

But groups trying to do this are “chronically under-funded”, she added, which means the charity “simply cannot reach all young people in the area”.

“We work with young people in Moray’s secondary schools to help increase awareness and understanding of sexual consent, and the harmful and violent depictions of sex that young people are exposed to in online pornography and through misogynistic content on social media,” she said.

“However, we only have funding to carry out this work three days a week, which means that we simply cannot reach all young people in the area.”

‘The resources available to meet their needs are nowhere near sufficient’

Last year, Moray also had Scotland's second-highest rate of domestic abuse offences.

Its rate of 7.9 offences per 10,000 was almost double the Scottish average of 4.7.

The Police Scotland figures also showed a worsening problem over the last three years, with the rate having increased by more than 80 per cent.

Dr Emma Plant works within the Moray Violence Against Women and Girls Partnership.

Her role, as development co-ordinator, involves working towards the Scottish Government’s Equally Safe strategy to eliminate gender-based harm.

She argued that Scotland used to “lead the world” in tackling violence against women and girls, but the effort has recently been left without the resources and leadership that are required.

“In a time where women’s human rights face unprecedented challenge globally, these statistics make two things clear,” Dr Plant said.

“Firstly, Scottish women and girls are showing extraordinary bravery coming forward in historic numbers to ask for justice and support.

“Secondly, the resources available to meet their needs are nowhere near sufficient.

“Scotland used to lead the world with its violence against women and girls prevention strategy, Equally Safe.

“In recent years, however, this crucial area has been left without the national resources and leadership necessary to ensure our survivors, those supporting them, and those working to prevent gender-based harm entirely, can reasonably expect to become equally safe in their lifetimes.”

‘Behind these statistics are real people - survivors who have endured unimaginable trauma’

MSP Rhoda Grant described the figures as “nothing short of horrifying”.

“Even more alarming is that this gap has been widening year after year,” Mrs Grant added.

“Behind these statistics are real people - survivors who have endured unimaginable trauma.

“Worst still, we know that a lot of sexual assault and domestic abuse goes unreported and will not truly reflect the scale of crimes happening across communities.”

She also pushed the Scottish Government to provide more effective support for support services and to draw up a new strategy to “tackle the root causes of gender-based violence”.

The measures were vital, the MSP added, to “ensure survivors get the protection and justice they deserve”.

‘These figures are deeply distressing and must serve as a wake-up call’

While Moray-based Ariane Burgess, Green MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said the figures were “deeply distressing”.

Local support services are contending with an ever-growing number of referrals, she argued, despite facing a lack of funding serving as a “stark indictment of the system’s failure to meet the needs of survivors”.

“These figures are deeply distressing and must serve as a wake-up call,” Ms Burgess said.

“For Moray to have the highest rate of sexual assault in Scotland for three consecutive years is utterly unacceptable.

“Behind every statistic is a survivor whose life has been profoundly impacted, and we must do everything in our power to ensure they are heard, believed, and supported.”