As Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week begins, police say reports of rape increased by 28% in 2023.

Jersey Police are taking part in a national campaign to encourage survivors of sexual abuse to seek help.

The main message for this week is 'It's not okay' - that all forms of sexual abuse and sexual violence are unacceptable and should not be tolerated.

A recent report into Violence Against Woman and Girls  revealed three quarters of people surveyed had suffered sexual harassment within the previous 12 months.  One in four said they had experienced rape or attempted rape.

Statistics suggest fewer than one in six people report an incident when it happens to them.

Superintendent Alison Fossey says all the agencies involved in these types of crimes are committed to making sure victims get a safe, non-judgemental and caring service.

“We know the system isn’t perfect and we have improvements to make. We will and are doing better; last year alone saw eight convictions in the courts.

"It takes a lot of courage for a victim of sexual abuse or violence to come forward and report it – we want them to have confidence in the police, because we are committed to treating people fairly, ensuring they have the appropriate support and seeking justice by pursuing offenders."

Police say they want to reassure people that if they report any form of sexual offending, they will be taken seriously, listened to and should know that what happened was not their fault.

An information and support guide has produced to help people who want to report a sexual offence.

The guide aims to help people understand the process of reporting crimes to the police and is available in English, Portuguese and Polish and will be translated into Swahili soon.