Sex attacks soar in clubs
More than 10 women are sexually attacked in London's bars and nightclubs every week.
New figures today show that 290 women were raped and 263 sexually assaulted in and around late-night bars and clubs in the capital last year.
The Scotland Yard statistics show an 11 per cent rise on the previous year. The alarming figure was revealed as official crime statistics published by the Home Office showed a rise across England and Wales of 27 per cent in rape and 14 per cent in sexual assault. A senior detective today issued a warning about an increasing number of "acquaintance rapes" in London clubs.
Police are still hunting the pock-marked rapist who attacked a 16-year-old girl in the VIP lounge of the Equinox nightclub in Leicester Square last month. He spent the evening with the girl and her friends before assaulting her when they were alone.
Detective Chief Inspector Richard Walton, who is in charge of Scotland Yard's specialist Operation Sapphire Squad, which investigates sex attacks, said the number of rapes in London was rising by around 10 per cent a year.
While the increase was partly due to women having more confidence in the new police approach to rape investigations, he said there was evidence of a rise in acquaintance rape.
He said: "Society is changing. In recent years we have seen a big increase in the use of recreational drugs, alcohol and in the number of nightclubs in London.
"I think women have become more social too and with the combination of these things you are going to see more sex assaults."
Mr Walton emphasised that stranger rapes - random attacks in the street or parks - were rare and the numbers were not rising.
"The reality is that nine out of 10 rapes are committed by known offenders, acquaintances or ex-partners. In terms of stranger rapes you are still just as safe on the streets as you were 30 years ago," he said.
Police also point out that the number of acquaintance rapes is still a small percentage compared to the total number of 7,221 sex assaults in the capital, including 2,691 rapes, each year.
The number is also small when set against the estimated half a million people who pack into 3,000 West End clubs and bars each Friday or Saturday night.
Mr Walton said rapists were becoming "cuter" in their methods of targeting women. Often, such as in the Equinox attack, they strike up a relationship with a woman so that after an offence they could argue it was consensual.
He said : "Women should ask themselves 'do I trust the person I am with?' I am not saying don't drink but before you wander off with someone, make sure you know who he is."
The London figures came as Home Office statistics showed that the number of all violent crimes dealt with by police increased by 22 per cent but this could be due to a new way of compiling the figures.
