Around the world, rape is known as one of the most heinous crimes a person can commit towards another. However, why is it that in today's modern society, so many rape cases are going unheard? With so few seeing justice against their attackers, one cannot help but wonder what more could the authorities be doing to ensure order, safety, and security for those at risk of this crime.
Looking to the article found in the Victims Commissioner, as said by Dame Vera Baird, the victim's commissioner for England and Wales, a 2020 report showed that we were ‘witnessing the effective decriminalisation of rape.’ Looking to 2021, 67,125 rape cases were reported, with there only being 2,409 rape prosecutions between 2020-2021. With a rape conviction being likened to ‘a lottery,’ we see how for far too many people, their attackers escape prosecution altogether. What else is shocking to learn is that even after a rape has been reported, many victims must wait for up to three years before their case is even taken to trial.
In an article by the BBC, it is shocking to read that a rape is reported every hour in London, with higher than 8,800 reported rape incidents to the Metropolitan Police in 2023. This becomes one rape reported every hour. It was also found that an additional 11,000 reports of sexual crimes were brought to the attention of the police. What is shocking to learn is that almost a quarter of the victims reporting these crimes were under 18. Between 2018 and 2023, reports of all sexual crimes had risen by 14%. Relating to sexual crimes outside of rape, these could include incidents of sexual assault, assault by penetration, and attempted rape. Reports of any sexual crime were reported to the Met every 26 and a half minutes.
Even when a victim does report the crime to the police, there is very little support provided. One victim known as Amyexplains how the police took her phone for 6 months to glean evidence. However, after receiving her phone back, the police called her to say no evidence had been taken, and she was to return it. However, after breaking her phone, she knew that no evidence could be found, thus leaving her case dropped. She states how ‘victims already feel that everything is the victim’s fault,’ this showcases the need for support for victims. However, this is lacking, as Amy goes on to say, ‘The police will definitely ensure that you feel that way.’ With so many victims not feeling heard or supported by those tasked with ensuring justice, it is no wonder that many decide to retract their statements, letting the criminal walk free.
Found in an article by The Guardian, it is explained that almost half of rape victims end up dropping the investigation against their attacker even when they have been identified. The article goes on to clarify that such a decision to drop their cases is due to the legal system being in crisis. For many victims, they must face uncomfortable disclosure demands, the reality of a lower likelihood of a conviction being made, and ridiculously long waiting times before seeing their case brought to trial. Ultimately, there is a lack of resources within the criminal justice system which hinders the ability to prosecute rapists. An investigation also shows that rape prosecutions are at their lowest in more than a decade, with civil servants commenting that the way the system deals with this crime is ‘particularly poor for rape.’
Looking to a 2022 article in The Independent, it states how the failure to prosecute rapists means that many dangerous criminals roam free within society, with the looming threat of further crime becoming apparent. It is stated that victims are being ‘continually and systematically failed’ seeing as the prosecution rate fell to a mere 1.3% of rapes reported in England and Wales. Looking at such figures within 2024, we see how this problem has been worsening for an exceedingly long time, showcasing the need for action to be taken, and changes made in the way the police handle rape cases. Wendy Williams, HM inspector of constabulary, has shown that a previous study found that the majority of rapists are to be ‘serial criminal offenders,’ with research into Avon and Somerset police data showing that almost a quarter of rape and sexual offenses were committed by people who were linked to other similar crimes.
In another article found on the BBC, it is said that after the government’s end-to-end rape review for England and Wales, victims are still being failed by a lack of funding, case backlog, and underfunding for rape charities. Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition has spoken out, saying that ‘after two years of promises and commitments we have barely scratched the surface to improve support for victims of rape, let alone preventing it in the first place.’ This shows that compared to 2016 for rape prosecutions, the justice system remains lacking, allowing criminals to walk free and victims to deal with the trauma of the crime and the failure of the justice system.
The Guardian has shown that CPS dismissed many victims through victim blaming tactics, with one saying that a victim would not have been exchanging messages with her abuser ‘in a million years,’ while another believes that teenage girls reporting non-penetrative sexual assault are ‘doing disservice’ to cases that are actually needing to be investigated. With such views in today’s society, it feels bleak to see a return to past views of victim blaming and a silencing of women's voices, especially under such sensitive circumstances.
However, it is important to note that all hope is not lost, as data from CPS published in January 2024 found that people charged for adult rape have increased by 73.2%. In addition, there has also been a 9.4% rise in prosecutions for adult rape. Stephen Parkinson, Director of Public Prosecutions said that he wants to ‘improve what can be a very difficult process for victims, and I know that there is more for us to do, but we will continue to build on what we have achieved by listening to partners and victims.’ This will be comforting for many victims of such a crime, as action is taken to ensure smoother running of the justice system offering more victims a chance for their voices to be heard and for such criminals to face the consequences of their actions.
Overall, for so long, the criminal justice system has been facing a decline due to funding and a backlog in cases, resulting in victims not receiving justice. Though from the beginning of 2024, findings show that convictions have begun to rise, showing that appropriate action has been taken.