Fewer victims may be reporting sex crime; Further discrepancies found in recording of sex offence statistics

Women’s rights campaigners have expressed dismay after further discrepancies were uncovered in the recording of crime statistics — this time involving sexual offences.

It has emerged that the number of sex crimes recorded by gardaí annually between 2003 and 2016 was overstated in 12 out of the 14 years examined. In 2003, the figure reported was 26% higher than the reality.

That does not necessarily mean there were fewer crimes committed, however. Rape crisis workers say it more likely means an inflated impression has been given of the number of sexual offences that victims actually report.