APCC response to HMCPSI Rape Inspection Report
APCC Victims Leads Sophie Linden, London’s Deputy Mayor for Policing, and Crime & Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said:
“The HMCPSI Rape Inspection Report makes for grim reading for those who have been brave enough to come forward and report this heinous crime.
Whether the fall in prosecutions is down to the police or the CPS or a combination of the two, at the end of day the whole system is failing victims of rape and serious sexual assault and is leaving irreparable damage to lives.
“A fall in prosecutions, despite a rise in reports to police, raises significant questions and concerns. It is vital that victims have confidence that when they report a crime, they will be supported by a robust response as well as effective victim support. Currently, on too many occasions, this is not happening, and we cannot allow this to continue.
“PCCs champion the needs of victims in their local communities, commissioning services to help them cope and recover after crime. We are involved in the cross-Government review of the Criminal Justice system response to rape, which the HMCPSI Report is part of. Important work is underway to ensure all the Criminal Justice agencies come together to commit to making the system more effective, ensuring that all victims of this devastating crime are protected and supported through every stage of the judicial process. We eagerly await the Review’s recommendations next year, which must be backed by an Action Plan and sufficient resources to drive fundamental change in how rape cases are taken through the CJS and victims supported.”