London, Sep 12, 2019 –
The number of people investigated for rape and subsequently convicted in the UK has fallen to its lowest level since records began more than a decade ago, a new government report revealed on Thursday.
The annual Violence Against Women and Girls report showed that there were 1,925 convictions in 2018/19, a 27 per cent drop compared with 2,635 the year before, reports the BBC.
This was in spite of allegations of rape reaching a high of 58,000.
The figures for England and Wales show the number of rapes claims that end in a conviction is around 3 per cent.
The report also said that the number of suspects charged with rape or another offence has fallen, from 2,822 in 2017/18 to 1,758 in 2018/19.
In 2007/8, when records were first compiled in the current way, 2,220 cases resulted in a charge.
Of those, 2,201 cases resulted in a conviction – although some would be for investigations started in previous years.
Following the publishing of the report, it was announced that the independent Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) watchdog, Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, would review charging decisions in rape cases “to increase accountability and reassure victims of sexual offences”.
Campaigners have said that the CPS has changed its approach in rape cases.
The CPS – whose budget has been cut by 25 per cent since 2010 – denied the claim and said it has worked hard to improve how it deals with sexual offence cases. (Agency)
