Derby City: Rape, Sexual Violence and Public Safety
Ten-Year Statistical Review and Autumn 2026 Preparedness Report
Report date: 10 October 2026
Location: Derby City, England
Reporting period: April 2016 – March 2026
Sources: Home Office, Office for National Statistics (ONS), Derbyshire Constabulary and Derby City Council
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1. Executive Summary
This report examines the increase in police-recorded rape offenses in Derby City over ten years, the potential causes of that increase, and the measures undertaken by Derbyshire Constabulary and Derby City Council.
It also examines concerns about poor street lighting and public safety during autumn and winter 2026.
Key Findings
•Police-recorded rape offenses increased from 211 in 2016–17 to 448 in 2025–26, according to the working figures previously extracted.
•This represents an increase of approximately 112%.
•The ten-year working total is 3,708 recorded offenses.
•The annual average is approximately 371 recorded offenses.
•Derbyshire Constabulary has introduced specialist investigative and victim-support initiatives.
•Derby City Council has participated in public safety, CCTV and environmental improvement initiatives.
•The effectiveness of these interventions in preventing rape specifically within Derby City has not been established by the evidence reviewed.
•Current evidence is insufficient to determine whether Derby's street-lighting infrastructure is adequately prepared for autumn and winter 2026.
Important qualification: The crime figures are working totals from the previously discussed Home Office spreadsheets and require final independent verification.
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2. Derby City Rape Statistics: 2016–2026
The following table presents the ten-year working dataset.
| Financial Year | Recorded Rape Offenses | Annual Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | 211 | — |
| 2017–18 | 254 | +20.4% |
| 2018–19 | 325 | +28.0% |
| 2019–20 | 362 | +11.4% |
| 2020–21 | 357 | −1.4% |
| 2021–22 | 474 | +32.8% |
| 2022–23 | 473 | −0.2% |
| 2023–24 | 410 | −13.3% |
| 2024–25 | 394 | −3.9% |
| 2025–26 | 448 | +13.7% |
| Total | 3,708 | |
| Annual Average | 371 |
Lowest year: 2016–17, with 211 recorded offenses.
Highest year: 2021–22, with 474 recorded offenses.
Latest year: 2025–26, with 448 recorded offenses.
Overall recorded increase: Approximately 112%.
The data suggests three periods:
1. 2016–2020: A substantial increase in recorded offenses.
2. 2020–2023: A further rise, reaching a peak in 2021–22.
3. 2023–2026: A decline followed by an increase in the latest financial year.
The trend is not a continuous annual increase.
Police-recorded offenses should not be interpreted as a direct measurement of all rapes committed during each financial year.
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3. Why Are Recorded Rape Offenses Increasing?
There is no established single explanation for Derby's recorded increase.
3.1 Increased Reporting
Greater public awareness of sexual violence and increased confidence in reporting may contribute to higher police-recorded figures.
Some victims report offenses many years after they occurred.
An increase in reporting can therefore occur without an equivalent increase in recent offending.
3.2 Changes in Police Recording Practices
Improvements in police recording standards can increase the number of offenses officially recorded.
This makes historical comparisons more complicated.
3.3 Changes in Actual Offending
Increased actual offending may also contribute.
However, the Derby figures alone cannot establish how much of the recorded increase reflects a change in actual victimization.
3.4 Repeat Offending
Repeat perpetrators may present continuing risks.
Effective prevention requires:
•Identifying high-risk offenders.
•Investigating allegations thoroughly.
•Managing repeat offending.
•Providing safeguarding for victims.
•Intervening before further harm occurs.
3.5 Environmental Safety
Poor lighting, isolated pedestrian routes and inadequately maintained public spaces may increase vulnerability and fear of crime.
However, rape frequently occurs in private settings and may involve perpetrators known to victims.
Conclusion: Environmental improvements are important, but they cannot independently explain or prevent all sexual violence.
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4. Derbyshire Constabulary: Actions Taken
4.1 Operation Soteria Bluestone
Derbyshire Constabulary has reported implementing the national Operation Soteria approach to improving rape and serious sexual offense investigations.
The approach includes:
•Suspect-focused investigations.
•Specialist investigative training.
•Improved treatment of victims.
•Better investigative processes.
•Greater attention to perpetrator behavior.
4.2 Victim Engagement Officers
Specialist victim engagement arrangements have been introduced to improve communication and support during investigations.
4.3 High Harm Offender Management
Derbyshire Constabulary reports using specialist teams and protective orders to manage individuals presenting serious risks.
4.4 Call It Out Campaign
The force has undertaken educational and prevention activity addressing misogyny, harassment and harmful behavior.
4.5 Public Scrutiny
The Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner has undertaken assurance work concerning serious violence and violence against women and girls.
Assessment
These initiatives demonstrate identifiable policing activity.
However, further evidence is needed to determine their effectiveness in reducing rape in Derby City.
Relevant indicators include:
•Charge rates.
•Prosecution outcomes.
•Investigation times.
•Repeat victimization.
•Victim experiences.
•Repeat offender management.
•Demonstrable prevention outcomes.
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5. Derby City Council: Actions Taken
5.1 Safe Derby
Safe Derby is a partnership initiative addressing gender-based violence, harassment and public safety.
Its areas of activity include consideration of:
•Improved street lighting.
•CCTV.
•Environmental improvements.
•Awareness campaigns.
•Community engagement.
5.2 CCTV Infrastructure
Derby City Council reports operating 196 public-area CCTV cameras across the city center and selected surrounding locations.
CCTV may support detection and investigations.
However, camera coverage alone does not demonstrate that sexual violence has been prevented.
5.3 Project Flex
Project Flex is a joint initiative involving Derbyshire Constabulary and Derby City Council.
It addresses serious and organized crime in parts of Derby city center, including Green Lane and surrounding areas.
The council reported more than 50 arrests during its initial enforcement phase.
These arrests concern multiple offense categories and should not be interpreted as rape-specific outcomes.
5.4 Domestic Abuse and Sexual Abuse Strategy
The Derby and Derbyshire Domestic Abuse and Sexual Abuse Strategy 2026–2029 establishes a multiagency approach to prevention and victim support.
Assessment
The council has participated in documented public safety initiatives.
Further evidence is needed to establish:
•Implementation progress.
•Actual expenditure.
•Locations improved.
•Public feedback.
•Measurable prevention outcomes.
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6. Street Lighting and Autumn 2026 Preparedness
Poor street lighting is a legitimate public safety concern.
As daylight hours shorten, inadequately illuminated routes may become less attractive or feel less safe to pedestrians.
6.1 Derby City Council Lighting Standards
| Issue | Published Response Standard |
|---|---|
| Ordinary faulty streetlight | Visit within five working days and attempt repair |
| Electricity supply fault | May take up to 25 working days |
| Dangerous electrical or structural fault | Aim to attend within one hour |
6.2 Outstanding Questions
The evidence reviewed does not establish:
1. The current number of defective streetlights.
2. The total repair backlog.
3. The number of faults exceeding response standards.
4. Whether high-priority pedestrian routes have been inspected.
5. Whether additional lighting improvements have been completed before autumn 2026.
6. Whether lighting maintenance has been evaluated alongside sexual violence prevention.
6.3 Suggested Audit Locations
The following areas should be considered for pedestrian safety assessments:
•Derby city center and St Peter's Street.
•Green Lane and surrounding connections.
•Arboretum Park approaches.
•Normanton Road and nearby pedestrian routes.
•Bus stops and public transport connections.
•Routes connecting nightlife venues, car parks and residential areas.
Important: These are suggested locations for assessment, not verified locations of defective lighting or rape hotspots.
Autumn 2026 Conclusion
The available information does not establish whether Derby is adequately prepared for autumn and winter 2026.
A published lighting fault inventory and independent route assessment would provide a stronger evidence base.
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7. Recommended Action Plan
| Timescale | Recommended Action | Intended Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 14 days | Publish lighting fault backlog | Public transparency |
| 30 days | Address priority lighting defects | Safer pedestrian routes |
| 60 days | Conduct joint police–council public safety review | Identify environmental risks |
| 90 days | Publish Derby-specific rape investigation indicators | Accountability |
| 6 months | Evaluate prevention initiatives | Evidence of effectiveness |
| 12 months | Independent progress review | Assess outcomes |
7.1 Immediate Priorities
Street lighting: Identify and prioritize defective lighting on pedestrian routes.
Safeguarding: Strengthen support for victims and people at risk of repeat harm.
Investigations: Improve investigative quality and monitor delays.
Prevention: Evaluate education, offender management and public-space interventions.
Transparency: Publish progress in a form residents can understand.
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8. Questions for Derbyshire Constabulary and Derby City Council
Street Lighting
1. How many streetlights are currently defective in Derby City?
2. How many faults have remained unresolved for more than five working days?
3. Which pedestrian routes have been inspected ahead of autumn 2026?
4. What funding is available for lighting improvements?
Sexual Violence
5. How many rape offenses recorded during 2025–26 relate to incidents occurring in earlier years?
6. What proportion of recorded rape offenses result in charges?
7. How have investigation times changed?
8. What evidence demonstrates the effectiveness of Operation Soteria in Derby?
9. What measurable outcomes have resulted from Safe Derby?
Public Accountability
10. When will a joint police–council public safety progress report be published?
11. Who is responsible for overseeing outstanding actions?
12. How will residents and survivors be involved in evaluating improvements?
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9. Overall Conclusions
The ten-year working dataset indicates a substantial increase in police-recorded rape offenses in Derby City.
This raises important questions about actual victimization, reporting behavior, prevention, safeguarding and investigation outcomes.
Derbyshire Constabulary and Derby City Council have undertaken documented initiatives addressing sexual violence and community safety.
However, the evidence reviewed does not establish the extent to which those initiatives have reduced rape in Derby City.
Street lighting deserves specific attention during autumn and winter.
The council's published maintenance standards provide a basis for accountability, but current evidence is insufficient to determine whether the city's lighting network is adequately maintained.
Final Assessment
The most important next steps are to:
1. Verify the historical crime statistics.
2. Investigate the factors behind changes in recorded offenses.
3. Obtain current street-lighting fault and repair data.
4. Assess pedestrian safety on priority routes.
5. Publish Derby-specific investigative and prevention outcomes.
6. Establish measurable public safety objectives.
7. Independently evaluate progress.
The long-term objective should be zero sexual violence.
Progress toward that objective must be assessed using more than police-recorded crime totals.
Actual victimization, victim safety, reporting confidence, repeat harm, investigative quality and effective prevention must all be considered.
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10. Sources
1. Home Office: Police Recorded Crime Community Safety Partnership Open Data, 2016–2026.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/police-recorded-crime-and-outcomes-open-data-tables
2. Office for National Statistics: Crime in England and Wales.
https://www.ons.gov.uk
3. Derbyshire Constabulary: Sexual violence investigations, safeguarding and prevention.
https://www.derbyshire.police.uk
4. Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner: Serious violence and violence against women and girls assurance work.
https://www.derbyshire-pcc.gov.uk
5. Derby City Council: Street lighting, Safe Derby and Project Flex.
https://www.derby.gov.uk
Evidence Limitations
The annual rape figures are working totals previously reported from the two uploaded Home Office spreadsheets. They have not undergone final independent row-by-row verification.
The institutional measures described are drawn from the public information reviewed earlier in this conversation.
The report does not establish a causal connection between street-lighting conditions and the ten-year rape trend.
It is a desk-based evidence review, not a physical safety inspection or independent performance audit.
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End of Report
Derby City — 10 October 2026
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