Police have seized over 1,000 devices in cases related to violence against women in the past 18 months, Express has learned.
The Home Affairs Minister shared the figures after the States of Jersey Police reported a 10% increase in crimes related to gender-based violence in the last year, and a 27% increase over the last three years.
Deputy Mary Le Hegarat said this rise “reflects growing confidence among victims to report”.
“I would always encourage anyone who has been the victim of a such an offence to come forward and report it,” she added.
The Minister also revealed that the police’s dedicated action plan to tackle gender-based violence is 98% complete – with improved victim support, targeted patrols, and changes in the way rape and serious sexual offences are investigated in Jersey.
Deputy Le Hegarat added: “I also recognise the importance of legislation.
“We’re preparing for new legislation to address non-fatal strangulation, stalking, and cyber offences as technology plays an increasing role in these crimes.
“Over 1,000 devices have been seized in violence against women-related cases in the past 18 months.”
Speaking to Express, Detective Superintendent Alison Fossey confirmed there had been a 47% rise in the number of devices seized in rape investigations, and highlighted the growing complexity and importance of digital forensics in these cases.
She explained: “Just about every crime investigation now will involve the use of a device – there’ll be some communication – and we will all obviously want to seize that device and examine that device.
“Devices nowadays can hold up to one terabyte of data and that, in context, is equivalent of 1,300 filing cabinets of printed text.
“So that gives you an idea of the scale of the investigation and what investigators have to look through.”
New laws which criminalise tech-facilitated abuse, including cyber-flashing and cyber-stalking, are due to be introduced in Jersey before the end of this year.
DS Fossey said: “Obviously I am very concerned about it, but the priority in this space has to be about prevention and education.
“The volume of offending that we’re talking about here would swamp any police force and does in the UK.
“So, for me, the priority is to be about public messaging – how to keep yourself safe, prevention, education.”
We have to have investment in our digital forensics area, because that’s where all the evidence is going to come from
Detective Superintendent Alison Fossey
She added: “We have to have investment in our digital forensics area, because that’s where all the evidence is going to come from.
“It’s going to be highly reliant on the investigation of devices, and we need to look at how AI can help us with those types of investigations as well.
“The demand will substantially increase, and it will substantially increase when we introduce more offences because, with these new offences, there will be increased awareness, increased reporting, and the number of investigations will dramatically increase.
“[Digital forensics] are a feature, as I’ve said already, of every crime we investigate now – but that will only serve to go further.”