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Request Number: FOI/16371

Category: Incident and Crime Statistics - Sexual Offences

Subject: Sexual Offences on Hospital Premises

Request and Answer: 
Your request for information has now been considered. In respect of Section 1(1)(a) of the Act we can confirm that the Police Service of Northern Ireland does hold information to which your request relates. The decision has been taken to disclose the following.

Question 1
How many reports have been made to your police force of sexual offences that have allegedly taken place on hospital premises within your force area since 1 Jan 2020 to date?

Question 2
Please provide a breakdown total provided in question 1 by calendar year

a) 2020

b) 2021

c) 2022

d) 2023

e) 2024

f) 2025 to date

Answer 1 & 2

Year202020212022202320241st Jan - 31st Oct 25Total
Sexual offences406038698545337

Question 3
Please provide a breakdown of the total provided in question 1 by type of sexual offence under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 - e.g.

a) Sex – Rape of a woman 16 years or older

b) Assault of a male child under 13 by penetration.

c) Exposure

d) Sexual Assault on a male.

Answer

OffenceNumber
Rape40
Sexual Assault on a male52
Sexual Assault on a female195
Exposure and Voyeurism49
Other1
Total337

Question 4
Please provide a breakdown of the total provided in question 1 by age of victim in the following categories:

a) Under 18

b) 18-64 

c) 65 and over**

Answer

AgeNumber
<1826
18-64266
65+31
Unknown14
Total337

Question 5
Of all reports of alleged sexual offences on hospital premises since 1st January 2020 (i.e. question 1), please state the total number of incidents charged.

Answer
There were 85 recorded sexual offences where the location was recorded as hospital from 1st January 2020 – 31st October 2025 that have since resulted in a charge/summons outcome. This is subject to change as the result of ongoing investigations.

Question 6
Please provide a breakdown of the total number of rapes since 1st January 2020 (i.e. the answer to 3.a) by the age of the rape victim in the following categories:

a) Under 18

b) 18-64

c) 65 plus**

**If your force records this information in different age categories, please provide any information on age of victim available.                                                                                                  

Answer

AgeRape
<188
18-6427
65+4
Unknown1
Total40

Notes;
The tables provided contain details of sexual offences recorded under the Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 where the location of the offence was recorded as a hospital, covering the period January 2020 to October 2025.

The location subtype indicates that an offence was recorded as having occurred at, or in the immediate vicinity of, the premises described. This includes hospital buildings and associated external grounds forming part of the hospital site.

It should be noted that while offences were recorded during the period specified, some relate to non-recent offences and therefore the date of recording may not reflect the date the offence is alleged to have occurred.

This information has been extracted from a live recording system and is subject to change. The data is dependent on the accuracy and completeness of information recorded at the time of entry, including the correct recording of offence type and location.