Silent Crime: Victims in Sussex urged to make voices heard - 'The public are often our eyes and ears'
We are calling an epidemic of violence, theft and anti-social behaviour, Silent Crime – and we are campaigning for the voices of victims to be heard.
As part of this National World campaign, we want you to tell us incidents that have happened to you, your family or your friends in your neighbourhood; how it impacted you and what justice was served – or not. To tell us your story click here.
The truth about how few crimes end with somebody being held to account is staggering. An offender was brought to justice in only 10 per cent of reported crimes in 2023. That's bad enough but the key phrase there is 'reported crimes'.
Research shows that we only bother to tell police about four out of ten crimes. Add those two figures together and it is clear that the vast majority happen with absolutely no repercussions. And so they continue.
Sussex Police has issued a statement, in response to our campaign, this week.
A spokesperson said: “We would always encourage people to report crime, so that we can respond effectively and to allow for a full and thorough investigation to take place.
“The public are often our eyes and ears – by reporting crime and information to us, it helps build a greater picture of what is happening in our communities. That information and intelligence can then be used to help solve crimes and to ensure our officers are in the right areas.
“We are absolutely committed to protecting our communities and catching criminals. Victims will be listened to and supported, and our officers will work hard to identify offenders and bring them to justice.
“Crime can be reported online or by calling 101 – always dial 999 in an emergency. Reports can also be made to police anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”