Whistleblowing reports in the charity sector have risen by almost 85% in a year in the wake of the Oxfam sex abuse scandal, government data has revealed.

Last year the charity was accused of covering up claims that staff sexually exploited victims of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

Figures published by the Charity Commission on Thursday revealed that the number of serious incidents and whistleblowing cases have risen sharply since the scandal emerged. It added that the Oxfam scandal acted as a “catalyst” for highlighting safeguarding failures within the sector.

The watchdog published its annual report for 2018-19 and found that within the charity sector, there had been an 83% increase in whistleblowing incidents, with figures rising from 101 to 185.

Last month the commission published its long-awaited investigation into the charity which accused it of underplaying the scale of allegations made by victims in Haiti and the UK in an attempt to protect the charity’s reputation and keep donations flooding in.

It also found that the charity failed to respond adequately to allegations that aid workers in Haiti were sexually abusing women whom they were supposed to be helping and there were allegations that Oxfam abuse victims were sent back to war zones after complaints were raised against aid workers.