Not reporting a crime

The police would like all crimes to be reported. It’s important to report a crime because if you don’t, the police won’t be aware of the situation and will not be able to take any action. Ultimately the person responsible could go on to commit a similar crime.

There are various reasons why you may not want to report a crime. It could be one or more of the following:

It’s too trivial
It may be a minor crime, but it can still be very upsetting. The police understand this and will take the incident you report seriously.

It’s too embarrassing
Sometimes people feel embarrassed about reporting crimes, particularly if they are of a sexual nature. The police will treat you sensitively and will not judge you. Whatever your gender, sexual orientation, race or physical ability, being a victim of a crime is traumatic.

The police won’t care
If the police are very busy, they may not be able to get to you as soon as they would like. However, their job is to protect and reassure and they do care about doing that. They may not always catch the people responsible but they always try.

You don’t care about what’s happened
If you are not concerned or upset by what’s happened, that’s fine. Some people can take these things in their stride, and continue as if nothing has happened, even if it has been a serious crime. However, if you don’t report it, the police won’t have a chance to catch the person responsible, and they might do it again. The next time, they might pick on a person who is not so resilient as you.

You’re worried about what will happen
People worry about going to the police and perhaps having to go to court and give evidence. However, there are many organisations that can support you through the various stages. This website gives their contact details. It is important for you to talk about what has happened to you and to get any reassurance and help you need.

Whatever you decide you can still get support.

If you don’t report the crime, you can still get support and help from the support organisations listed here on this website. You may find it helpful to talk to someone about what has happened and how you feel about it.