Rape victims withdraw from up to three-quarters of cases

Telegraph

2 days ago

Rape victims are dropping out of up to three-quarters of cases after being put off by police and court delays, a report has found.
The research, based on more than 270,000 crimes reported to police, found that on average 40 per cent dropped out before a charging decision, with many feeling that they had been forced out.
The proportion rose sharply for sexual offences, with rape recording a dropout rate of 69 per cent. This increased to 74 per cent for rape in domestic abuse cases, according to the study commissioned by Claire Waxman, London's Victims' Commissioner.
Victims reported being dissuaded by the police from entering the justice process and told how unlikely it was that their case would go anywhere.
One victim who had been sexually assaulted was told by the police officer while reporting the attack that 'there have been cases of people being stabbed to death and we have their faces on CCTV but they still don't get a conviction, so this won't go anywhere'.
There were even indications that some police officers were logging that victims had withdrawn from prosecutions without consulting with them.
Ms Waxman said: 'With 77,000 cases waiting to be heard in the Crown Courts alone, it is clear the justice system is at breaking point, and it is victims who pay the price.
'In policing there are good officers who go above and beyond, those who try but are hampered by a lack of capacity and resources, and unfortunately there are officers who use victim withdrawal as an easy way of closing cases.'
She called for oversight of the police in their role keeping victims engaged, urgent action to ensure victims' needs and vulnerabilities were recorded and supported and swift action to tackle the backlogs and spare victims a years-long wait for a hope of justice.
The research, based on data from the Metropolitan Police, focused on crimes including arson, criminal damage, robbery, public order, violence against the person, and sexual offences.
Withdrawal rates were highest when the offender was known to the victim, with a victim 2.1 times more likely to withdraw if the offender was a current or ex-partner rather than a stranger, and 1.8 times more likely when it was a friend or acquaintance.
With cases being scheduled for 2029, court delays were a key factor in decisions to withdraw from cases. The research found victims are also dropping out due to the lack of available specialist support to help them navigate the system.
However, an audit of 334 records, where victims had withdrawn, found 197 of them had no auditable record of the victim dropping out, such as no body-worn video, no record of an email or phone call.
Ms Waxman said this tied in with reports from victims. 'One victim, when requesting information from the police sometime after reporting, was surprised to find that their case had been closed, with the reason being given that the victim withdrew, unbeknownst to them,' she said.
Pippa Mills, Assistant Commissioner of the Met Police, said the force was 'relentlessly bearing down on perpetrators to secure justice for victims'.
'To improve victims' experiences, we're driving up charges for serious offences including rape and serious sexual assault, developing a new victim strategy, rolling out more training, and have launched a new online service, leaflets, and dedicated phone line to increase the frequency and quality of our communications,' she said.
However, she noted that there were currently more than 100 trials already scheduled for 2029 in London, meaning 'intolerable delays for victims waiting for closure from often traumatic experiences.
'There must be a collective effort from the government, partners and the criminal justice system to reform and reverse years of decline,' she said.