Impact on rape victims of police phone seizures to be reviewed

The victim’s commissioner for London, Claire Waxman, is reviewing the impact on rape victims of police seizures of mobile phones. The inquiry has been motivated by the steep fall in the number of rape prosecutions nationally. There are fears that intrusive methods are discouraging victims from reporting attacks or pursuing cases.  The inspection is expected to last three or four months and is being carried out by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC).

Source: The Guardian

HMCPSI Rape Inspection 2019 Report

On 17 December 2019 Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) published the findings from the thematic inspection of rape cases.

HMCPSI state the following as key findings:  

• Since 2016, the number of cases prosecuted by the CPS has fallen by 52%. This is despite the fact that there has been a 43% rise in the number of rape allegations to the police.
• But there has been a 23% fall in the number of cases referred to the CPS for a decision by the police. This reduction means that while reports of rape to the police have nearly doubled, a significant number of these cases have not been referred to the CPS.
• Nearly a third of all the cases which the CPS received from the police were ‘admin finalised’. These are cases which are sent back by the CPS to the police for further investigation.
• There have been concerns that the CPS were only charging easy cases where a conviction was more likely, rather than applying the appropriate legal test (known as the Code for Crown Prosecutors). That view is not supported by the findings from this inspection.
• CPS has improved its application of the Code for Crown Prosecutors – the test for prosecutions: in the 2016 inspection there was a 10% failure rate but in this inspection there was a 2% failure rate.

In the report, HMCPSI recommend that they and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) should conduct a joint inspection of the Crown Prosecution Service and Police Forces’ response to rape.

The report can be read in full here.

Source: HMCPSI

Rape Monitoring Group Dashboard Publication

HMICFRS have published the Rape Monitoring Group (RMG), a multi-agency group in England and Wales, dashboard which contains data from 44 different force areas in England and Wales. The data shows how cases of rape are dealt with at all stages of the criminal justice process.

Key facts include an increase in recording of rape. However there has been a fall in cases continuing to conviction. However, there are a number of factors that could affect these statistics. These include, victims not wanting to take cases forward, advice from the CPS, or a change in the classification of the offence; or a change in the classification of the counting rules.

Source: HMICFRS

Only 1.7% of reported rapes prosecuted in England and Wales, new figures show

New figures from the Home Office have revealed that that the proportion of rape cases resulting in a prosecution is 1.7%. Katie Russell of Rape Crisis stated that these statistics are particularly troubling at at time when the number of victims and survivors coming forward is increasing.

The statistics have been attributed a number of factors including police funding cuts, rising levels of crime across all areas of policing, and falling levels of confidence with victims not wanting to hand over mobile phones, given as an example of why cases collapse.

Source: The Independent

Violence against women and girls newsletter: spring 2019

The Home Office has published the Spring 2019 Violence Against Women and Girls newsletter. The newsletter focuses on a number of topics including the Domestic Abuse Bill and the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy refresh.

As well as refreshing the VAWG Strategy, the report announces the publication of a position paper about male victims of crimes relating to the VAWG Strategy. This is due to a significant number of males being affected by crimes covered in the VAWG Strategy such as domestic abuse and forced marriage.

Source: Gov.uk

Police failing to protect rape and abuse victims, says super-complaint

The Centre for Women’s Justice has accused police forces of failing to use existing powers to deal with domestic abuse, stalking and rape. This comes as a second super-complaint has been made to a national watchdog by campaigners suggesting there are systematic failures preventing the protection of victims of domestic and sexual violence.

The failures have been linked to the introduction of ‘released under investigation’ rules set out by the government which unlike bail cannot have conditions placed upon the offender. As a result, it can make it easier for victims to be contacted and protected.

Source: The Guardian

Newcastle rape and trafficking trials collapse over police failings

A BBC article has revealed that case against a gang made up of 1 woman and 13 men collapsed and all were found not guilty due to police not securing evidence properly or meeting investigation guidelines. The gang had been accused of trafficking a raping three girls between 2010 and 2014.

Northumbria Police have launched a review and their Professional Standards Department are investigating.

Source: bbc.co.uk

Male Victims position paper added to Strategy to end violence against women and girls: 2016 to 2020

The Government have updated the Strategy to end violence against women and girls: 2016 to 2020 to include a paper on male victims. This is as a result of the number of men who are victims of the crimes covered in the strategy. It is also meant to encourage more men who experience these crimes to come forward.

As well as adding the Male Victims position paper, the Government have refreshed the original strategy to re-affirm strategic commitments as well as providing detail of the progress that has already been made.

Source: gov.uk

Government sets out key measures to tackle violence against women and girls

The Government has announced a refresh to the violence against women and girls strategy (VAWG) to help protect victims and survivors of violent crime.

The refresh includes a cross-sector end-to-end review into how rape and sexual violence is handled across the criminal justice system. The refresh will also look at the work that has been done by the Government since 2016 to transform the response to violence against women and girls.

Source: Gov.uk

Rape cases to be reviewed by government after ‘alarming’ drop in prosecutions

The Home Office have pledged to investigate how reports of rape and sexual violence are reviewed by the police and prosecutors after a drop in the number of convictions and warnings that victims are having their privacy violated.

Officials have stated that the review will be a cross-sector end-to-end review and will look at the entire criminal justice system and make recommendations for change.

Source: The Independent