The penetrative offence in section 4 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 : Offenders, victims, and outcomes after detection

Weare, Siobhan (2020) The penetrative offence in section 4 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 : Offenders, victims, and outcomes after detection. British Journal of Criminology, 60 (4). pp. 930-948. ISSN 0007-0955

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Abstract

Extensive research exists in relation to the Sexual Offences Act 2003, in particular rape and assault by penetration, the two most serious offences involving non-consensual sexual penetration of the victim. However, the other penetrative offence, causing a person to engage in (penetrative) sexual activity without consent, found in section 4 of the Act, has, to date, been excluded from national statistics and research. This article analyses novel data relating to the section 4 penetrative offence, collected using freedom of information requests, from 37 police forces in England and Wales over a 13-year period. The data explores victim and offender demographics and outcomes after detection. The findings challenge understandings around who the victims and perpetrators of penetrative sexual offences are.