England: Reported sexual offences against men and boys up 200 per cent

New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the number of reported offences (including rape) increased from 3,819 in 2006/07 to 12,130 in 2016/17.

Reports of sexual assaults rose from 2,687 to 7,610 (+183 per cent) and reports of rapes rose from 1,132 to 4,520 (+299 per cent).

Over the same period, reports of sexual assaults against women and girls rose from 21,128 to 38,186 (+81 per cent) and reports of rape against women and girls rose from 12,599 to 36,639 (+190 per cent).

Andy Connolly, chief executive of male rape and sexual abuse charity Survivors UK, told BBC News the increase suggested men were becoming more confident about making allegations.

He added: “We do know of men who come forward and they just meet comments like ‘men can’t get raped, they can’t be sexually abused’ and are treated with disbelief that it is even a thing that happens to men.”