Number of sex assaults not as high as first thought: VPD
Posted September 27, 2010 11:47 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Vancouver Police say they’ve re-crunched some numbers and found sex assaults are up only 10 per cent this year, not the 21 per cent reported last month.
The VPD says it took a close look at the August research and found if it removed reported attacks that ended up being historical or unfounded, the increase in sex assaults from the same period in 2008 is only 9.6 per cent.
However, Constable Lindsey Houghton admits either way, it’s unacceptable. “Random groping-style sex assaults, as we can all imagine, are challenging for us to prevent — especially ones where the victims and the suspects are strangers to each other.”
Houghton says in 31 to 43 per cent of reported sex assaults, alcohol was in some way involved.
He says they’ve increased the number of officers in the Sex Crimes Unit, and are focusing on educating people to prevent future victims.
