Attempts by male police officers to exploit women for sexual gratification make up almost a third of the most serious cases being investigated by Northern Ireland's police ombudsman.
The finding was in a report commissioned by the oversight body.
It said there were nine such cases out of 30 Category A investigations in 2024, around 30%.
The report looked at cases involving PSNI officers over a seven-year period between 2018 and 2024.
It identified 36 victims, many of whom had significant vulnerabilities.
Six police officers were dismissed or convicted of abusing their roles following Police Ombudsman investigations during this period.
Most of the women targeted had been a victim of crime, or had mental health issues.
Lone parents and those with abuse issues or experience of domestic violence were also singled out.
Just under half were children or young adults in the age range 14 to 24. The youngest was 14.
'We will listen' - Ombudsman chief executive
Police Ombudsman chief executive Hugh Hume said so-called Abuse of Position for Sexual Purposes offences, was one of the most serious forms of police corruption.
"We hope one of the outcomes of publishing this report will be that any woman who has had a similar experience with a police officer will feel reassured that we take this kind of offending seriously and know that if this has happened to them, we will listen and we will investigate," he said.
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said any abuse of position for sexual purposes was "wholly unacceptable".
"We are determined to shine a light on and better understand the true extent of sexism and misogyny within the PSNI to ensure our organisation is as effective as possible," he said.
The report found that many women came to the attention of abusive officers when they became the victims of crime.
In some cases a sexual approach was immediate, in others contact escalated over time leading to a sexual approach.
'Abuse of power deeply damaging' - NI Policing Board
The analysis found that all the police officers were male, most were constables, aged between 30 and 50 and had been serving for up to ten years.
Mr Hume confirmed that his office was currently investigating allegations of predatory behaviour by police, involving 39 victims and 20 serving and two former officers.
He said that in some cases women were reluctant to report what had happened to them or didn't see themselves as a victim of predatory behaviour.
The PSNI has carried out a number of reviews following the murder in London of Sarah Everard and the conviction of her killer, serving Metropolitan police officer Wayne Couzens and the jailing of serial rapist David Carrick, also a police officer.
Northern Ireland's Policing Board welcomed the publication of the report.
"The board is currently finalising a revised Code of Ethics for the PSNI which makes it explicitly clear that police officers shall not establish or continue a sexual or improper relationship with any victim, witness, suspect, detained person or defendant arising from their duties," said chairman Mukesh Sharma.
"Abuse of power is deeply damaging to public confidence in policing and as a board, we encourage anyone who has been subject to abuse of power by a serving or former officer to contact the office of the Police Ombudsman and make a report," he added.
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