Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the change in rates of sexual abuse by women reported to police, and (2) the impact of reports of sexual abuse committed by transgender women in contributing to any such change; and what plans they have, if any, to undertake further research into these issues.

Information on trends in sexual offences recorded by the police is routinely published by the Office for National Statistics. The most recent publication, Crime in England and Wales: Year ending June 2020, is available here:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/crimeinenglandandwales/yearendingjune2020

Figures for the year ending December 2020 are due to be published on the 3 February. Information on sexual abuse committed by transgender women is not held centrally.

We know that sexual abuse disproportionately affects women and girls. We are currently running a Call for Evidence which is available on GOV.uk (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/violence-against-women-and-girls-vawg-call-for-evidence ) and will help inform our forthcoming Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, due for publication this Spring.