Latest data shows image-based abuse and cyberflashing are behind increase in sexual offences

New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released today (4th November 2025) shows that image-based sexual abuse (so-called ‘revenge porn’) and cyberflashing offences are responsible for over half of the 11% increase in reported sexual offences.

While the ONS did not capture any significant change in the prevalence of sexual assault, the latest figures for police recorded sexual offences increased by 11% to 209,079 in the year-ending March 2025.

Over half of this increase (around 13,000 offences) can be attributed to police recording two new sexual offences introduced in the Online Safety Act 2023: “Sharing or threatening to share intimate photograph or film”, commonly referred to as image-based sexual abuse or so-called ‘revenge porn’, and “Sending etc photograph or film of genitals”, commonly referred to as ‘cyberflashing’. These numbers are significant and realistically only set to increase. 

Responding to the data, Rebecca Hitchen, Head of Policy & Campaigns at the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW), said:

“The increase in reports of cyberflashing and image-based sexual abuse shows growing awareness that such behaviour is an offence. However we remain concerned about tech platforms’ inadequate safeguards which allow this behaviour to proliferate. 

As with other forms of sexual violence, it is women and girls who bear the brunt of these offences, and we are concerned about exactly what will happen after women report, given the justice system’s poor track record on other forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG). 

Questions must now be asked about the extent to which the police, CPS and courts are prepared and resourced for responding to these forms of online offending. Do they have the tools, the understanding and the drive to effectively investigate and prosecute these crimes? 

We also know that these figures are unlikely to represent anywhere near the true scale of this harm, as despite the changes in law we know women and girls do not feel confident to report to the police, or that any meaningful action will be taken by platforms or criminal justice systems. 

This is why we are calling for the government to introduce effective means of civil redress for survivors. This means a system by which a court can order content take downs, removal and deletion of abusive content and award damages to survivors.”

Weaponisation of VAWG

The ONS data also shows that for victims of rape or assault by penetration (including attempts) aged 16+, over half (54.7%) were assaulted by a partner or ex-partner. This is in stark contrast to misinformation pushed by those seeking to weaponise VAWG to further a racist, anti-migrant agenda. This serves as reminder that women and girls remain most at risk of sexual assault from men they know.

The figures also set out that just 1 in 7 (14.7%) victims reported the most recent assault to the police, reminding us that the criminal justice system is often not something women and girls choose to engage with, for a number of reasons. We have long made clear that we cannot police our way out of violence against women, and that in order to end this violence for good, the government must centre the role of prevention in their upcoming VAWG strategy and provide survivors with other avenues for support by adequately funding specialist frontline services.

We know this data does not paint the whole picture of women’s experiences of VAWG, most notably the most marginalised survivors. The specialist women’s sector has long highlighted the ongoing challenges with data collection across the state – most notably the criminal justice system, which is crucial to ensuring justice and safety for all women.

This data is also critical in shaping how the government plans to hold itself accountable in its delivery of halving VAWG over the next ten years. 

ENDS