Any rape is shocking and utterly unacceptable but a rape in Glasgow, reported with no context, reinforces an outdated but deeply embedded stereotypical image of the city. BBC Reporting Scotland, based in Glasgow offered no explanatory context last night.

Is rape an increasing offence and is it higher than the Scottish average. In the last 5 years, that seems to be true though several researchers put the increase down to more victims having the courage to come forward, better policing and historical cases being dealt with.

From Recorded Crime in Scotland: year ending December 2025 Published 24 February 2026

Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/recorded-crime-scotland-year-ending-december-2025/documents/

Is the rate in Glasgow high compared to other parts of the UK?

The population of England & Wales is 61.8m so a rape offence crime figure of 71 667 across high crime and low crime areas, means a ratio per 10 000 people of 11.6! Almost twice the rate in Scotland and 66% higher than in Glasgow.

I can find no evidence of the figures for Liverpool or for any other English city but given their known far higher overall crime rates than other parts of England and that the average is 11.6, we must assume that they are, horrifically, even higher.

Is not that news? Not in BBC Scotland’s Glasgow offices.