§ 36. Mr. Lagdenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of assault on children and women, respectively, have occurred in the last 12 months; whether this shows an increase or decrease on the previous 12 months; and what is the percentage of either increase or decrease.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI regret that, as assaults are not classified for statistical purposes according to the age and sex of the victim, I cannot give my hon. Friend precisely the figures for which he asks. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT the only relevant figures which are so classified, namely, the number of crimes known to the police in the categories of indecent assault on females and defilement of girls under 16.
§ Following are the figures:
| INDECENT ASSAULTS ON FEMALES AND DEFILEMENT OF GIRLS UNDER 16 | |||
| Offence | Number of crimes known to the police | ||
| 1955 | 1956 | Per cent. variation 1955–56 | |
| Per cent. | |||
| Indecent assaults on females. | 7,619 | 8,141 | +6.9 |
| Defilement of girls under 13. | 195 | 172 | −11.8 |
| Defilement of girls 13–16. | 1,491 | 1,578 | +5.8 |
| Total | 9,305 | 9,891 | +6.3 |