• Non-sexual crimes of violence (aka violent crimes) accounted for ~3% of total crime recorded in Scotland in 2018/19

• These are crimes which involve violence, whether or not there was a victim (for instance, robbery is classed as a violent crime)

• While the longer-term down-trend remains in effect, instances of violent crime have risen since 2015, partly in response to changes in the way crime is recorded by Police Scotland

• Men and women are now almost as likely to be the victims of violent crime while men remain the majority perpetrators of violent crimes

• Younger adults are more likely to be the victims of violent crime (16-44) than older adults (>60)

• Incidents involving alcohol and drugs have declined over the last decade but remain high with 50% involving alcohol and 1/3 involving drugs

• Levels of crime within a community are linked to socio-demographic variables such as unemployment levels and the accessibility of alcohol and drugs

Sexual crimes are any of the offences covered under The Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009, these include:

• Rape, defined under the act as "penetration of the vagina, anus or mouth by the penis without consent. However, there is a range of sexual assault and abuse which does not fit with the legal definition of rape. These can be just as distressing and have just as much of an impact."

• Sexual Assault - This offence may include any non-consensual: penetration that would not meet the definition of rape, sexual touching, any form of sexual activity (whether or not through clothing), ejaculation of semen or emission of urine/saliva onto a person for sexual purposes.

• Sexual Coercion

• Coercing a person to be present during a sexual activity

• Coercing a person into looking at a sexual image

• Communicating indecently - For instance, sending a sexually explicit text message against the receiver's wishes.

• Sexual exposure - This offence involves the exposure of his or her genitals purely for sexual purposes. It differs from indecent exposure, which can only be committed in a public place.

• Voyeurism - Where a person operates equipment to record or observe someone's genitals, buttocks or underwear; or while they undertake a private action such as changing clothes, using a toilet, washing, or engaging in a sex act themselves.

• Administering a substance for sexual purposes

Full list:

Group 2: Sexual crimes

Rape and attempted rape Includes:

• Rape

• Attempted rape

Sexual assault Includes:

• Contact sexual assault (13-15 year old or adult 16+)

• Sexually coercive conduct (13-15 year old or adult 16+)

• Sexual crimes against children under 13 years

• Lewd and libidinous practices

Crimes associated with prostitution Includes:

• Crimes relating to prostitution

• Soliciting services of person engaged in prostitution

• Brothel keeping

• Immoral traffic

• Procuration

Other Includes:

• Other sexually coercive conduct

• Other sexual crimes involving 13-15 year old children

• Taking, distribution, possession etc. of indecent photos of children

• Incest

• Unnatural crimes

• Public indecency

• Sexual exposure

• Threatening to disclose and intimate image

• Disclosure of an intimate image

• Communications Act 2003 (sexual)

• Other sexual crimes

According to The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2012/13 :

• 83% of those who had experienced serious sexual assault since the age of 16 said that that they knew the offender in some way.

• 54% said that the perpetrator was their partner

Within some cultures, it's not uncommon for women who have been the victims of what we in Scotland would define as sexual crimes to be prosecuted as criminals...

• Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow was just 13 when she was reportedly raped by three armed men while travelling on foot to visit her grandmother in October 2008

• When Aisha tried to report the crime to local authorities, she herself was charged with adultery

• The punishment for her 'crime' was to be stoned to death in a public stadium attended by about 1,000 bystanders

Consent is defined in the Act as 'free agreement'. In determining whether an accused had 'reasonable belief' that consent existed, "regard is to be had to whether the person took any steps to ascertain whether there was consent or, as the case may be, knowledge; and if so, to what those steps were". The following examples are given in s.13-15 of the Act of where consent would not be established. The person carrying out the offence would be 'Person A' and the victim, 'Person B'.

• Where Person B “was incapable due to the effects of alcohol or any other substance of consenting to it” What exact level should be reached before Person B would be incapable of consent is to be decided by the court but once it is reached there is no consent.

• Where Person B was asleep or unconscious.

• Where Person B only consented due to being threatened with violence by Person A.

• Where B consents whilst unlawfully detained by A.

• Where B only consents because they are mistaken as to the nature of the conduct, due to A's misrepresentation.

• Where B only consents as a result of A impersonating a personality known to B.

• Where someone other than B consents on their behalf.

• Where B initially consents, but then withdraws their consent during the sexual act.

• Where B is mentally disordered and so incapable of understanding the nature of the activity.