2nd July 2014

CPS and Police Announce New Measures to Tackle Rape

The Director of Public Prosecutions and the national policing lead for adult sexual offences have today announced major new action to tackle rape, and are together calling for a renewed challenge against persistent myths and stereotypes they believe are still having a negative impact on cases.

DPP Alison Saunders and Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt have published a new national rape action plan in which they set out their clear commitment to addressing the issues preventing rape cases from successfully progressing through the criminal justice system.

The rape action plan includes:
    *Steps to ensure better application of the legislation on consent and that     
      police and prosecutors focus on steps taken by a suspect to seek consent   
      from their alleged victim where this is an issue.
    *Updating the joint police and CPS national rape protocol on the investigation
      and prosecution of rape cases.
    *Steps to monitor police decisions to take no further action in rape cases,     
      including the quality of record-keeping and authorisation of decision making.
    *New practical guidance for frontline police officers and prosecutors.
    *A National Conference later this year with all specialist rape prosecutors and
      police rape leads to raise awareness of key issues.
    *Reviews of the operation of CPS rape and serious sexual assault units and 
      the instruction of appropriate advocates in rape trials.

The action plan is the outcome of more than six months of work and a rape scrutiny panel convened to investigate the fall in the number of rape-flagged cases referred by police to the CPS. New figures already show an 8% rise in the volume of police referrals for 2013-14, compared with 2012-13, and the CPS charged 700 more defendants over the same period, which is an increase of 25% from the previous year. This increase in volume will take time to impact on statistics for completed cases.

Announcing the new plans Alison Saunders, DPP, said: "Over the last year, we have worked hard to increase the volume of rape cases referred by the police and charged by prosecutors and our latest figures are certainly encouraging.

As the National Policing Lead for Adult Sex Offences, Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt will be working with the College of Policing to progress the action plan.

AC Hewitt said: "Rape and sexual offences are uniquely damaging crimes for the victim. They are also complex to investigate and prosecute, and victims' needs and reactions vary from person-to-person.

"We are determined that the service we provide to victims is the best it can be so that more victims have the confidence to report, knowing that they will get the support they need to go through the criminal justice process and that we will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice. This action plan will help to achieve this."

Professor Liz Kelly, London Metropolitan University and Co-Chair of End Violence Against Women Coalition, said: "I warmly welcome this joint initiative, especially the focus on investigating the steps taken to get consent and monitoring decision making where cases are not proceeded with. I am pleased to see that already 700 more defendants have been charged in 2013-14 compared to the previous year but we need to see a corresponding rise in convictions. Everyone reporting sexual violence deserves the highest standards from the criminal justice system and the National Scrutiny Panel has identified actions which, if implemented consistently across England and Wales, provide an opportunity to achieve this."

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