, Labour’s Shadow Solicitor General,
responding to the latest figures showing only one in 60 rapes
lead to a charge, said;
“This government is letting down victims of rape
on every front. Many survivors feel the justice system is working
against them, not for them and that is completely the wrong way
round.
“The Government has no plan to deal with the failings that have
happened under its watch, and we have been waiting for its rape
review for over two-years.
“Labour have published our Survivors' Support Plan and Ending
Violence Against Women and Girls Green Paper to ensure our
criminal justice system works for everyone.”
Ends
Notes to editors:
- Rape prosecutions in England and Wales are at their lowest on
record, 44% of rape victims are pulling out of their trial before
it gets to court and now only 1.6% of rape cases are even being
charged according to the latest figures from the Home Office.
- Fewer than one in sixty rape cases last year led to a suspect
being charged, according to an analysis of Home Office figures.
- Out of 52,210 cases recorded by the police in England and
Wales only 843 resulted in a charge or a summons. A rate of 1.6%
- According to analysis byThe Guardian more than
100,000 rapes have been reported to the police since a government
review to overhaul the system was announced in March 2019 to
address the fall in successful prosecutions.
- Recent figures have also shown that the proportion of victims
withdrawing from prosecutions has doubled from 20 per cent to
more than 40 per cent in five years.
“Rape and serious sexual assault cases should be fast-tracked
through courts, Labour says, The Independent 14 March 2021”
- Fast-tracking rape and serious sexual assault cases through
the police, Crown Prosecution Service and the courts
- Appointing a Minister for Survivors of Rape and Sexual
Violence to investigate and tackle the root causes of delays in
the system, and act as a champion for victims
- Establishing a pre and post-trial survivor’s support package,
including a full legal advocacy scheme for victims and better
training for professionals around myths and stereotypes
Last week, Labour published its Green Paper as Tories fall short
on ending violence against women and girls
- Labour has published a detailed Green Paper on how to end the
epidemic of violence against women and girls. Introducing a
survivor support package to improve victims’ experience in the
courts, including fast tracking rape and sexual violence cases,
legal help for victims and better training for professionals to
give people the help they need.
https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Ending-Violence-Against-Women-and-Girls-Green-Paper.pdf
