Violence against Women and Girls Crime report contents

Child abuse
The volume of child abuse 19 referrals from the police increased to 13,282 in 2015-16 from
12,840 in 2014-15, an increase of 3.4%.
8,889 (66.9% of these referrals) were charged, a rise of 193 from 2014-15, the highest
volume ever recorded.
The volume of prosecutions completed in 2015-16 reached 11,130 - a rise of 1,085 (10.8%)
since 2014-15, the highest volume ever recorded.
Of those defendants where gender was recorded, 89.6% were male and 10.4% female – the
VAWG data annex of the report provides further breakdown by gender, where possible 20 .
There was a rise in the volume of successful outcomes of child abuse cases to 8,439 in 2015-
16 from 7,469 in 2014-15 – the highest volume ever recorded and a rise of 13%.
In 2015-16 there were 41 child abuse homicide offence prosecutions 21 , a rise from 17 in
2014-15, with 75.6% resulting in convictions.
There was a rise in the volume of child abuse offences against the person (from 3,192 to
3,582); with successful outcomes rising from 71.3% to 72.8%, compared with 2014-15; the
highest volume ever recorded.
Child sexual abuse (CSA) offence prosecutions completed in 2015-16 rose from 5,387 to
6,217 – a rise of 830 (15.4%) and the highest volume ever recorded.
Successful outcomes for CSA prosecutions rose from 3,975 to 4,643 the highest volume ever
recorded – a rise of 16.8%. The conviction rate rose from 73.8% in 2014-15 to 74.7% in 2015-
16.
The CPS continues to play a central role in the Home Office-led cross government strategy to
respond to sexual violence against children.
Case studies from CPS Areas, included in the VAWG data annex of this report, illustrate the
prosecution of cases involving grooming and abuse of trust; alongside details of some local
good practice.
Human trafficking and prostitution
Since April 2010, the CPS has flagged and monitored all cases of human trafficking 22 .
The volume of defendants in human trafficking cases referred from the police rose slightly to
246 in 2015-16 from 234 in 2014-15, the highest volume ever recorded.
19 Child abuse cases are flagged within CPS.
20 The recording of victim gender is not robust enough to include gender proportions in the report but the
volumes are outlined in the VAWG annex of this report.
21 See glossary for definitions.
22 From January 2013, the accuracy of flagging was checked quarterly.
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