The Office for National Statistics said the number of rapes in the capital in 2021 rose by 19 per cent on the previous year’s total to a new peak of 8,873 offences.
That was equivalent to about 24 a day and amounted to an additional 1,409 rapes carried out in the 12-month period compared with a year earlier.
At the same time, sexual offences reported to the Met and City of London police also reached an all-time high of 23,848 such crimes. That was 26 per cent up on a year earlier.
The London surge reflects similar increases in rape and sexual offending elsewhere in the country.
These led to 67,125 rapes being recorded by forces across England and Wales and 183,587 sexual offences. Both figures are record highs.
The statisticians cautioned that “high-profile incidents, media coverage, and campaigns” might have encouraged more people to report crimes, as well as a “potential increase in victims”.
But the sharp rise — which comes despite near record low prosecution rates and severe court backlogs impeding the justice process — will nevertheless heighten concern about the number of women falling victim to rape.
Other national statistics show a 54 per cent surge in fraud and computer misuse offences over the past year, which has pushed the overall crime total for England and Wales up 18 per cent.
There was more positive news in London from knife crime figures showing a 7 per cent drop in blade offences to 10,606 during 2021. The tally compares with 11,449 such crimes in 2020.
