Rise in sexual offence reports after laws updated

The prosecution service said there had been a "significant" rise in reports of sex crimes

There has been a rise in the number of sexual offences reported on the Isle of Man since the laws were updated in 2024.

The Sexual Offences and Obscene Publications Act 2021 modernised laws and brought in new offences, including revenge porn and upskirting.

Giving evidence to a Tynwald committee, Director of Prosecutions Chrissie Hunt her office had seen "a significant increase in our work".

Ms Hunt said that in the last 12 months police recorded a rise from 34% to 62% of offences ending in positive prosecution.

Tynwald's Constitutional and Legal Affairs and Justice Committee held the evidence session this week.

'Stereotypes rejected'

Since the laws were modernised, she said a "different operating model" was being used, whereas they had previously been "labouring under some quite elderly legislation in terms of sexual offending".

Ms Hunt said at the start of her prosecuting career "many years ago" it was "very victim focused but entirely in the wrong way", as questions had surrounded why the victim had made a series of choices or actions.

They were now "much more defendant focused", where "myths and stereotypes are rejected right the way down the line" in investigations, she said.

All prosecutors had now been trained to deal with rape and serious sexual offending with the UK's Crown Prosecution Service, as well as being trained in dealing with trauma, she explained.

Police data recorded in the Chief Constable's Annual Report showed that there were 41 reports of rape in the 2023-24 year, seven of which were concluded with a "positive prosecution".

Statistics also showed that 15 of those initial reports did not go any further due to a lack of evidence or conflicting accounts.

The new laws came in alongside updated domestic abuse legislation.

Ms Hunt said they were working closely with the island's police force and overall it was "moving in the right direction."