Police trial new way to help sex-assault victims
VICTIMS of sexual assault and domestic abuse in Greater Manchester will benefit from a new technology being trialled which will see them allowed to keep their mobile phones during police investigations.
GMP have purchased a number of ‘Odyssey’ devices, which will allow specially trained police officers, supported by forensic experts, to extract evidence from devices within a set time period.
The trial comes at a time when rape convictions in England are woefully low.
Staggering statistics published by the government’s End-to-End Rape Review in 2021 revealed that just 1.6 per cent of rape cases reported to the police resulted in someone being charged.
And an investigation published last year found that two-thirds of rape victims are dropping out of prosecutions amid claims that police had been searching their phones in order to ‘discredit’ them. Many victims reported that requests for mobile phones were intrusive, unnecessary and they felt their behaviour and credibility were being scrutinised, according to research by London’s victim’s commissioner, Claire Waxman.
The new technology has been partially funded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) following reports from victims who said having their phones taken away from them after reporting a crime left them feeling ‘vulnerable’ and ‘alone.’
Codenamed Operation Capture, the concept is now being trialled in Salford and will mean victims and witnesses of domestic abuse, rape and sexual offences will no longer have to hand over their mobile devices.
The technology will mean that specialist officers are able to extract evidence on electronic devices at the scene of a crime – and most importantly, in the presence of the victim. It allows for only
data relevant to the investigation to be downloaded.
Deputy mayor of Greater Manchester, Bev Hughes, said: “In Greater Manchester we want to move as quickly as possible to using technology that places a victim’s interests at the heart of the investigation.
“It is vital that people have confidence to report a crime to the police and feel safe after doing so.
“Odyssey also means only relevant data is extracted, removing concerns that anything unnecessary will be reviewed or used in the case. Feedback from the Crown Prosecution Service is that Odyssey can play a significant role in helping to make charging decisions.”