Rape in Hospital

Over 1,000 sexual assaults and rapes have taken place in Scottish hospitals in the last five years.

Many Health Boards are not consistently recording or categorising incidents of sexual assault and rape. Reporting practices vary significantly, means the true scale of the problem is likely under-recognised. Whilst 300 have been recorded the figure is thought to be much higher.

Is this not a national emergency?

There is no record of whether these are stranger attacks, committed by staff or someone the patient knows. It is impossible to tell who is being attacked and who the perpetrators are.

Many of these crimes are not even being actioned even when they are being reported to police.

This is shocking but worryingly it is not limited to Scotland.