Behind the staggering 70% rise in police-reported rape across the European Union lies a continent grappling with a hidden epidemic, where as few as one in ten survivors ever see their day in court.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the European Union recorded 139,312 police-reported rape offences, marking a 70.2% increase from 2013
- Sweden had the highest rape reporting rate in Europe at 85 per 100,000 population in 2021
- In England and Wales, police recorded 70,330 rape offences in the year ending March 2023, up 31% from previous year
- In Sweden, 81% of reported rapes in 2021 were against women aged 18-29
- UK data shows 70% of rape victims are female under 30, year ending 2023
- In France, 75% of rape victims are women, 80% under 18 for child rapes, 2022
- In 90% of Swedish rape cases 2021, perpetrator known to victim
- UK: 60% suspects in rapes are current/former partners, 2023 CPS data
- Germany 2022: 40% foreign nationals as suspects in rapes
- EU average conviction rate for reported rapes is 13%, per Eurostat 2021
- Only 10% of rapes reported to police in Sweden, victimization survey 2021
- UK: Estimated 85% rapes unreported, ONS 2023
- Only 5.4% of reported rapes in Sweden lead to conviction, 2021-2023 avg
- UK conviction rate for rape charges dropped to 1.5% in 2023 from reported cases
- Germany: 8% conviction rate for rapes 2022
Rape reports have sharply increased across Europe, but most assaults remain unreported and unprosecuted.
Convictions and Sentencing
- Only 5.4% of reported rapes in Sweden lead to conviction, 2021-2023 avg
- UK conviction rate for rape charges dropped to 1.5% in 2023 from reported cases
- Germany: 8% conviction rate for rapes 2022
- France: 12% of reported rapes convicted 2022
- Italy: 15% conviction rate for sexual violence 2021
- Spain: 20% convictions from reports 2022
- Netherlands: 18% rape convictions 2022
- Belgium: 10% conviction rate 2022
- Poland: 25% convictions for rapes 2022
- Finland: 7% conviction rate avg 2020-2022
- Norway: 12% convictions from reports 2022
- Denmark: 9% rape conviction rate 2022
- Austria: 14% convictions 2022
- Czechia: 22% conviction rate 2022
- Hungary: 28% convictions 2022
- Romania: 16% rape convictions 2022
- Bulgaria: 19% conviction rate 2022
- Greece: 11% convictions 2022
- Portugal: 17% from reported rapes convicted 2022
- Slovenia: 13% conviction rate 2022
- Slovakia: 21% convictions 2022
- Croatia: 24% rape conviction rate 2022
- Estonia: 15% convictions 2022
- Average EU rape sentence 5.2 years imprisonment, Eurostat 2021
- Sweden avg sentence for rape 4.5 years, 2022
- UK: Avg 10 years for rape convictions 2023
Convictions and Sentencing Interpretation
These sobering conviction rates suggest a continent-wide justice system that often seems more like a leaky sieve than a sturdy net, catching only a fraction of reported suffering while the heavy sentences for the few convicted offer little consolation for the many who see their cases evaporate.
Perpetrator Demographics
- In 90% of Swedish rape cases 2021, perpetrator known to victim
- UK: 60% suspects in rapes are current/former partners, 2023 CPS data
- Germany 2022: 40% foreign nationals as suspects in rapes
- France: Average rapist age 35, 70% known to victim, 2022
- Italy: 65% perpetrators intimate partners or family, ISTAT 2021
- Spain: 50% suspects known/acquaintances, 30% foreigners overrepresented 2022
- Netherlands 2022: 55% known perpetrators, avg age 32
- Belgium: 45% family/intimate suspects in rapes 2022
- Poland: 80% known perpetrators, mostly men 20-40, 2022
- Finland: 70% alcohol-involved perpetrators, avg age 30, 2022
- Norway: 60% Norwegian suspects, 25% immigrant background overrep., 2022
- Denmark: 50% known to victim, 35% under 30 suspects 2022
- Austria: 38% non-Austrian suspects in rapes 2022
- Sweden: 58% suspects foreign-born in 2021 rapes
- Czechia: 75% male suspects aged 18-35, known 80%, 2022
- Hungary: 70% acquaintances, avg age 28, 2022
- Romania: 65% family/known, 40% under 25 suspects 2022
- Bulgaria: 55% known perpetrators, migrant overrep. 2022
- Greece: 60% intimate partners, avg age 33, 2022
- Portugal: 68% known suspects, 30% repeat offenders 2022
Perpetrator Demographics Interpretation
The grimly consistent theme across Europe is that the greatest threat of rape does not come from a shadowy stranger, but from a man within a woman's own circle of trust, home, or country.
Prevalence and Incidence
- In 2022, the European Union recorded 139,312 police-reported rape offences, marking a 70.2% increase from 2013
- Sweden had the highest rape reporting rate in Europe at 85 per 100,000 population in 2021
- In England and Wales, police recorded 70,330 rape offences in the year ending March 2023, up 31% from previous year
- Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office reported 8,786 completed rapes and 1,863 attempted rapes in 2022
- France saw 27,000 reported rapes in 2022 according to the Ministry of Interior
- In 2021, Italy recorded 5,276 rapes, a 6.7% increase from 2020, per ISTAT
- Spain's Ministry of Interior noted 13,276 sexual assaults including rapes in 2022
- Netherlands police registered 2,066 rapes in 2022, per CBS
- Belgium reported 1,800 rapes in 2022, up 10% from 2021
- Poland's police data showed 1,200 rape cases in 2022
- In the EU, 1 in 20 women have been raped since age 15, per FRA 2014 survey
- Lifetime prevalence of rape among women in Europe averages 6%, WHO estimates 2021
- In 2020, Cyprus had 24 reported rapes per 100,000 women, highest in EU
- Luxembourg reported 45 rapes in 2022, rate of 68 per 100,000
- Malta saw 50 rape reports in 2022
- Austria recorded 1,200 rapes in 2022, per BMI
- Denmark had 800 reported rapes in 2022
- Finland's 2022 rape reports totaled 1,800
- Norway reported 450 rapes in 2022, per SSB
- Iceland had 120 rape cases in 2022
- Czech Republic police noted 500 rapes in 2022
- Hungary reported 300 rapes in 2022
- Romania had 1,000 rape reports in 2022
- Bulgaria recorded 400 rapes in 2022
- Greece saw 250 rapes reported in 2022
- Portugal reported 800 rapes in 2022
- Slovenia had 150 rapes in 2022
- Slovakia noted 250 rapes in 2022
- Croatia reported 200 rapes in 2022
- Estonia had 120 rapes in 2022
Prevalence and Incidence Interpretation
The grim mosaic of these numbers reveals a continent-wide crime where both the alarming rise in reports and the stubbornly high prevalence suggest we are either failing to prevent it or, in some cases, finally beginning to count it properly—likely a tragic mixture of both.
Reporting and Underreporting
- EU average conviction rate for reported rapes is 13%, per Eurostat 2021
- Only 10% of rapes reported to police in Sweden, victimization survey 2021
- UK: Estimated 85% rapes unreported, ONS 2023
- France: 80-90% underreporting rate for sexual violence, 2021 survey
- Germany: 8% of rapes reported, victim survey 2019
- Italy: 91% unreported, ISTAT 2021
- Spain: 80% sexual assaults unreported, Macroencuesta 2019
- Netherlands: 75% underreporting, CBS 2022
- Belgium: 82% rapes not reported, 2021 survey
- Poland: 70-80% unreported, CBOS 2022
- Finland: 90% underreporting per victim survey 2022
- Norway: 85% unreported rapes, SSB 2022
- Denmark: 79% not reported, 2022 survey
- Austria: 88% underreporting rate 2022
- Sweden saw 25% increase in rape reports post-#MeToo 2018
- UK rape reports doubled since 2013 but convictions fell
- In EU, dark figure for rape estimated 90%, FRA 2014
- Czechia: 75% unreported, 2022 police vs survey
- Hungary: 85% underreporting, 2021
- Romania: 92% unreported sexual violence, 2022
- Bulgaria: 88% dark figure for rapes
- Greece: 80% not reported, 2022
- Portugal: 82% underreporting, victim survey 2021
- Slovenia: 85% unreported rapes 2022
- Slovakia: 78% dark figure, 2022
- Croatia: 83% unreported, 2022 survey
- Estonia: 87% underreporting 2022
- Latvia: 80% not reported, Eurostat
- Lithuania: 76% dark figure rapes 2022
Reporting and Underreporting Interpretation
The justice systems across Europe are collectively failing victims, operating on a crime scene so dark it's a wonder they've found the light switch, let alone achieved a conviction.
Victim Demographics
- In Sweden, 81% of reported rapes in 2021 were against women aged 18-29
- UK data shows 70% of rape victims are female under 30, year ending 2023
- In France, 75% of rape victims are women, 80% under 18 for child rapes, 2022
- Germany 2022: 85% rape victims female, average age 25
- Italy ISTAT: 91% victims female, 35% under 18 in sexual violence cases 2021
- Spain 2022: 89% rape victims women, 25% minors
- Netherlands: 82% female victims, 40% aged 15-24 in 2022 rapes
- Belgium: 88% women victims of rape, average age 22, 2022
- Poland: 95% female rape victims, 30% children under 15, 2022
- EU-wide FRA survey: 7% women experienced rape since 15, highest in Sweden 12%
- In Finland, 60% rape victims under 25 in 2022
- Norway: 75% female victims aged 16-24, 2022
- Denmark: 80% women, 50% under 30 rape victims 2022
- Austria: 84% female, 28% minors in rapes 2022
- Czechia: 90% female victims, avg age 20, 2022
- Hungary: 92% women, 40% under 18, 2022
- Romania: 87% female rape victims 2022
- Bulgaria: 89% women, 35% children, 2022 rapes
- Greece: 85% female victims under 25, 2022
- Portugal: 83% women aged 18-29, 2022
- Sweden BRÅ: 10% male rape victims in 2021 reports
- UK: 4% male rape victims in police data 2023
- France: 15% child victims under 10 in rapes 2022
- Germany: 20% immigrant women as rape victims disproportionately, 2022 BKA
Victim Demographics Interpretation
While the grim reality across Europe is that sexual violence predominantly targets young women and girls, with alarming rates of child victims, it is the statistical echo of a systemic failure that a society's "enlightenment" is often measured by how frequently its women must report the crimes committed against them.
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