Select Committee · Home Affairs Committee
Non-contact sexual offences
Status: Closed
Opened: 21 Feb 2024
Closed: 24 May 2024
Inquiry scope
Following the announcement that a General Election will be held on 4 July, Select Committees will be unable to meet from 24 May and will cease to exist from 30 May until after the General Election. This work has therefore closed The recent rapes and murders of both Sarah Everard and Libby Squire by men who had histories of committing acts of incident exposure and/or voyeurism has prompted calls for non-contact sexual offences to be taken more seriously. Non-contact sexual offences generally refer to a range of sexual offences involving no physical contact between the perpetrator and the victim, such as voyeurism and indecent exposure. This inquiry will explore the escalation of non-contact sexual offences to more serious sexual offences, such as rape and sexual assault. It will examine whether enough is being done to prevent the escalation of sexual offences, and if not, what else should be done. It will also examine the police response to non-contact sexual offences. Signposting Want to talk? | Rape Crisis England & Wales Rape Crisis. Helpline call free 0808 500 2222 ‘If something sexual happened to you without your consent – or you're not sure – you can talk to us. No matter when it happened’. Rape Crisis Scotland | Working to end sexual violence Call: 08088 01 03 02 Sexual abuse support – Support for victims-survivors of sexual abuse Call: 0808 500 2222. If you are over the age of 16, living in England & Wales and have been affected by any form of sexual violence or abuse. The home page gives information and contact details for a variety of specialist services. Childline Call: 0800 1111. Free, 24-hour confidential helpline for children and young people who need to talk.Oral evidence sessions
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| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Apr 2024 | Amy Randall · Ministry of Justice, Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe · Metropolitan Police Service, Commander Ben Russell · Metropolitan Police Service, Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, Joanna West · Home Office, Laura Farris · Home Office, Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Paul Furnell · British Transport Police | View ↗ |
| 21 Feb 2024 | Lisa Squire, Professor Clare McGlynn · Durham University, Professor Katrin Hohl · Independent Advisor to the Rape Review, Professor Sarah Kingston · University of Central Lancashire | View ↗ |
Who gave evidence
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| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Amy Randall · Director for Victims and Vulnerability Policy | Ministry of Justice | 1 |
| Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe · Assistant Commissioner, Frontline Policing | Metropolitan Police Service | 1 |
| Commander Ben Russell · Intelligence & Covert Policing | Metropolitan Police Service | 1 |
| Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth | — | 1 |
| Joanna West · Director of Tackling Exploitation and Abuse | Home Office | 1 |
| Laura Farris · Minister for Victims and Safeguarding | Home Office | 1 |
| Lisa Squire | — | 1 |
| Professor Clare McGlynn · Professor of Law | Durham University | 1 |
| Professor Katrin Hohl · Independent Advisor to the Rape Review | Independent Advisor to the Rape Review | 1 |
| Professor Sarah Kingston · Professor of Criminal Justice and Policing | University of Central Lancashire | 1 |
| Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Paul Furnell · Contact, Safeguarding, Crime & Justice | British Transport Police | 1 |
Correspondence
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| Published | Direction | Letter |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Nov 2024 | To committee | Letter from the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls regarding previous Committee’s work on non-contact sexual offences 05.11.2024 |
| 23 May 2024 | To committee | Letter from the Chair to the Home Secretary regarding the short inquiry into Non-contact sexual offences, dated 23 May 2024 |