Leicestershire Police is one of four UK forces piloting a new service to report sexual assault online – with the option to report anonymously.
The new online Rape and Sexual Assault reporting service is now live on the websites of Leicestershire Police, British Transport Police, Merseyside Police and Dyfed Powys Police.
It was created by the National Police Chief’s Council’s (NPCC) Digital Public Contact Programme (DPC) and launched on Tuesday 30 November.
The pilot will run for six weeks.
People wishing to report sexual offences have until now been directed to phone police forces, text 61016 in the case of British Transport Police, or dial 999 in an emergency.
If they do not require immediate police assistance, people – regardless of age or if they want to report the crime – will be directed online via their local force website.
They will find advice and details of charities and other organisations that can help. The forces will ask, if the person is willing, for details of what has happened. There is an option to report the offence anonymously.
