2026 Triangle Area Sex Crime Statistics: What Recent Data Shows

At The Coolidge Law Firm, our
criminal defense lawyers
follow Raleigh, Wake County, and Triangle-area sex crime data because it helps show us how local agencies record these allegations and where reporting practices differ. Those differences can become important when we review charges, investigating agencies, evidence, and court processes for our clients charged with a sexually motivated offense.

How Many Sex Offenses Are Reported in Raleigh Each Year?

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s (SBI) 2024 crime report shows that Raleigh had the highest number of reported
rape offenses
among the Wake County law enforcement agencies included in the data. Raleigh, which reported 179 rape offenses, also has the county’s largest population, so the raw total should not be read as a crime rate or a direct measure of an individual’s risk.

NC Does Not Map Most Sex Offenses Publicly

The Raleigh Police Department, as well as other reporting agencies across the state, do not display rape and most other sex offenses on its public crime map. The city identifies indecent exposure and peeping offenses as the two sex crime categories that may appear publicly.

This limits how much a resident can learn by searching an address or neighborhood, although residents can look up specific individuals and convictions within North Carolina’s Sex Offender Registry Network.

For someone accused of an offense, the absence of an incident from a public map says nothing about the investigation. Police may still have interviews, digital records, medical information, search warrant materials, and other evidence that is not publicly available that can be used against you in court.

Rape Statistics Across Wake County Towns

Raleigh is only one part of Wake County, and crimes of rape do not account for all sex crime allegations across the state. The 2024 SBI report also includes statistics submitted by municipal police departments, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, campus police, and other agencies.

Reported Rapes in NC and Raleigh

2,944 rape offenses were reported in North Carolina in 2024, about 2% fewer than in 2023. The rate across North Carolina fell from 29.4 to 28.8 reported offenses per 100,000 residents. 179 of those rape allegations were reported by the Raleigh Police Department.

Rape Data for Cary, Garner, and Other Wake County Communities

The SBI recorded the following 2024 rape totals for selected Wake County agencies:

• Cary: 14
• Garner: 10
• Holly Springs: 7
• Fuquay-Varina: 6
• Knightdale: 4
• Morrisville: 3
• Wake Forest: 3
• Rolesville: 2
• Wendell: 1
• Zebulon: 1

The Wake County Sheriff’s Office reported 23. NC State University Police reported two, while Raleigh-Durham Airport Police reported none.

Recent Rape Crime Statistics for Durham

Durham publishes its own quarterly crime reports in addition to the data submitted to the SBI. Its 2025 report provides a more current local figure than the statewide annual summary. The Durham Police Department recorded 150 rape offenses in 2025, compared with 167 in 2024. That was a decrease of about 10%. The same report listed a 23.3% clearance rate for rape cases during 2025.

A cleared case is not necessarily a conviction. Clearance may occur after an arrest or through another classification recognized under crime-reporting rules. The outcome of the criminal case is decided later through the court process.

Reported Rape Offenses in Orange County Communities

Sex offense allegations in the western Triangle may be investigated by Chapel Hill Police, Carrboro Police, Hillsborough Police, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, or a university police department.

For 2024, the SBI listed:

• Chapel Hill: 9
• Carrboro: 5
• Hillsborough: 3
• Orange County Sheriff’s Office: 3
• UNC-Chapel Hill Police: 5

Together, the reporting agencies listed under Orange County submitted 25 rape offenses.

Rape Statistics in Chatham County

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office reported 14 rape offenses in 2024. Siler City reported nine, and Pittsboro reported one. The SBI listed 24 across the county’s reporting agencies.

Quick Reference: Recent Reported Rape Data Across the Triangle

Area or Agency	Reported Rape Offenses	Reporting Period	Data Source
Raleigh Police Department	179	2024	NC SBI
Wake County Sheriff’s Office	23	2024	NC SBI
Durham Police Department	150	2025	Durham Police Department
Orange County Reporting Agencies	25 combined	2024	NC SBI
Chatham County Reporting Agencies	24 combined	2024	NC SBI
North Carolina	2,944	2024	NC SBI Annual Summary

Note: These figures are not direct crime-rate comparisons. Raleigh and Durham figures reflect individual police departments, while the Orange and Chatham County figures combine multiple reporting agencies. Durham’s figure also comes from a 2025 report, while the other figures shown are from 2024.

Sex Crime Reports on NC State Campuses

Looking at data on sexual misconduct on college campuses, crime report listed four rape reports and two fondling reports for 2024.

A student accused of sexual misconduct may face a police investigation, a university conduct proceeding, or both. The two processes do not necessarily use the same procedures or reach decisions at the same time. Statements made during a campus rape or sexual assault investigation may also affect a related criminal case, so students should understand the full situation before responding to any accusations.

NC Sexual Exploitation Charges Involving Minors

North Carolina separates sexual exploitation of a minor into different offenses. The charge may depend on whether someone allegedly created, recorded, distributed, received, or knowingly possessed child sexual assault material. First-, second-, and third-degree offenses carry different felony-level charges.

The Degree Depends on the Alleged Conduct

North Carolina divides sexual exploitation of a minor into several offenses:

• First-degree charges: Involve producing material or using, encouraging, or facilitating a minor’s participation.
• Second-degree charges: Involve recording, distributing, receiving, purchasing, or soliciting prohibited material.
• Third-degree charges: Involve knowing possession. The charges range from Class H felonies to Class C felonies, depending on the conduct alleged.

Wake County Recorded 124 Sexual Exploitation Case Filings

Charges for sexual exploitation involving minors are not included in the rape totals discussed earlier. This is because North Carolina court data provides a separate look at how often these felony offenses reach superior court.

From July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026 superior court case filings under the first-, second-, and third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor statutes include:

• Wake County: 124
• Durham County: 14
• Chatham County: 9
• Orange County: 7

Reports Are Not Findings of Guilt

A police report records an allegation, and an arrest reflects probable cause or an outstanding charging document. Neither one is a conviction.

The State still has to prove each element of the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt. The exact elements depend on the statute, ages involved, alleged conduct, capacity to consent, and any other factor written into the law.

When our sex crime attorneys at The Coolidge Law Firm review a case, we look at the actual charge and the evidence behind it. That may include statements, phone records, messages, account activity, medical records, search warrants, forensic reports, and information collected by a school or employer.

What to Do During a Raleigh Sex Crime Investigation

Some people learn they are under investigation before any charge is filed. A detective may call, ask to meet, request access to a phone, or contact a family member. In other cases, police may arrive with a search warrant or the person may first hear about the allegation through a school or employer.

What happens during this early stage can affect the entire case. A sex crime investigation should be treated seriously even when no arrest has been made.

Do Not Answer Questions Before Speaking With a Lawyer

A person who believes the allegation is false may feel an immediate need to explain what happened. Police may describe the conversation as an opportunity to “clear things up.”

That does not make the interview informal.

Investigators may already have statements, text messages, social media records, or other evidence that they do not disclose before asking questions. Even an honest answer can create problems when it is given without knowing the details of the accusation.

You have the right to speak with an attorney before agreeing to an interview. Using that right is not an admission of guilt.

Preserve Messages, Images, and Account Records

Do not delete text messages, photos, videos, social media conversations, emails, location information, or account activity connected to the allegation.

Some of that information may provide context that is missing from the initial report. Deleted material can be difficult to recover, and investigators may question why it was removed.

Keep devices and accounts in their current condition. Your attorney can help determine what information may need to be preserved and how it should be reviewed.

Avoid Contact With the Person Making the Allegation

Do not call, text, message, or ask another person to contact the individual who made the report.

A message intended to apologize, clarify a misunderstanding, or ask what was said may be viewed as pressure or intimidation. Contact can also lead to new allegations, changes to bond conditions, or claims that the accused tried to influence a witness.

The safer course is to stop direct communication and let your attorney address the issue through the proper channels.

Contact an Experienced Raleigh Sex Crime Attorney

Early legal guidance can help prevent avoidable mistakes and give the defense time to preserve evidence, review search warrants, examine digital records, and learn what law enforcement is investigating.

Attorney David Coolidge represents people facing sex crime investigations and charges in Raleigh, Wake County, and throughout the Triangle. Our Raleigh law firm works to protect each client’s rights, challenge unsupported allegations, and make sure the State is held to its burden of proof at every stage of the case.

Schedule a Confidential Consultation for Raleigh Sex Crime Allegations

Sex crime allegations can affect your freedom, reputation, employment, education, and family relationships before a case ever reaches court. Early legal guidance helps you avoid making damaging statements, preserve important evidence, and understand what investigators or prosecutors may do next.

The Coolidge Law Firm represents people facing sex crime investigations in Raleigh, Wake County, and throughout the greater Triangle areas.

Contact us today to schedule a confidential consultation and discuss the steps available to protect your rights. Call (919) 239-8448 or fill out our online contact form to get started.