Just 1 in 4 rape claims passed on to prosecutors

DAMNING figures today expose the extent of the ‘justice deficit’ for victims of rape.

Only one in four reported rape cases is passed on to prosecutors, who then decide whether to press charges, data shows.

The figures, published by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, also reveal worrying differences between forces across England and Wales in how often officers mark down cases as ‘no crime’.

In some areas, the number of ‘no crime’ cases is as high as one in five, the inspectorate’s Rape Monitoring Group found.

Victims’ groups condemned the ‘postcode lottery’ and said that despite police efforts, the experience of victims is not improving.

Mark Castle, of Victim Support, said it revealed an ‘unacceptable culture of disbelief’ in some areas. He said: ‘It is extremely concerning that in some parts of England and Wales a rape allegation is four times more likely to be rejected than in others.’

Katie Russell, of Rape Crisis, said the data showed ‘no improvement’ in victims’ overall experience of the legal system, adding: ‘There’s still a huge justice deficit for those who experience sexual violence offences compared to those who suffer other kinds of

‘Culture of disbelief’

crime.’ The 43 forces in England and Wales recorded 20,727 alleged rapes in 2013/14. Of those, 12,952 involved adult victims and 7,775 children, the HMIC data shows.

In the same period, 5,850 were referred to prosecutors – around 28 per cent. The slight time delay between a case being reported and sent on to the CPS means the figures will not cover exactly the same cases.

There were also huge gaps in ‘no criming’ rates – when an offence is first recorded as rape, but on consideration it is decided no crime took place. Victims have said police used ‘no criming’ to improve statistics.

On average, 9 per cent of adult cases were marked ‘no crime’ – but in Leicestershire it was nearly one in five, while in Gloucestershire it was 2 per cent. Nicole Westmarland, a professor of criminology at Durham University, said: ‘Today’s figures provide stark evidence of the inconsistent policing of rape, and the disservice that is being done to those who decide to report to the police.’

Martin Hewitt, of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: ‘ Comparing the number of rapes reported to police with the number of convictions oversimplifies a long and complex process, in which a criminal conviction is not always possible or the desired outcome for victims.’