‘Critical failure’ to answer basic questions about sex crimes against women

There is a “critical failure” to answer basic questions about sex crimes against women including how many are raped by strangers each year, a report has found.

The Angiolini Inquiry, set up in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard, found that too many perpetrators are slipping through the cracks and that prevention schemes are often “just words”.

In the latest report from the inquiry, looking at sex crimes against women in public places, Lady Elish Angiolini found that data on these offences is “difficult to obtain, patchy and incomplete”.

Speaking to journalists as the report was published, she said: “What is of great concern to me, still, is that basic questions cannot be answered.

“No one was able to confidently tell me how many women nationally report being the victim of sexually