‘Violation of victims’ body and privacy’: Less than one in six female rape victims reported incident to police

Fresh data reveals that in 15 per cent of cases women reported being raped by a stranger

(REUTERS)

Less than one in six female victims of rape in England and Wales reported the incident to police, new figures show.

Campaigners warn the dearth of victims coming forward stems from survivors fearing the criminal justice process will be a “humiliating and traumatising experience” and knowing the chances of securing justice are low due to dwindling prosecution rates.

New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said for the year ending March 2020, 16 per cent of female rape victims aged 16 to 59 informed the police.

Some 773,000 adults aged between 16 and 74 were victims of rape, including attempts, during this period. Some 618,000 of these victims were women – with females four times as likely to be victims than men.

The fresh data reveals that in 15 per cent of cases women reported being raped by a stranger, while 85 per cent of cases of rape were perpetrated by someone known to the victim. These figures are consistent with previous years.

Dr Hannah Bows, of the Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse at Durham University, told The Independent: “15 per cent of cases of rape are carried out by a stranger. This is not an insignificant number.

“Also, if you look at wider more everyday sexual offences such as groping, harassment, indecent exposure, then a far higher proportion of these are carried out by strangers – often in public places.

“Although a smaller proportion of rapes and sexual assaults are carried out by strangers, that doesn't mean women do not face significant harassment and assault from men they do not know.”

Read more:

• Women’s groups lose legal battle over plummeting rape prosecutions
• CPS vows to increase prosecutions for violence against women
• Rape victims need answers over plummeting prosecutions as authorities trade blame
• ‘Overwhelming majority’ of rapists going free because of collapse in prosecutions, campaigners warn

Dr Bows, an associate professor of criminal law, said there are “myriad reasons” why victims of rape and sexual offences do not report to the police - adding that people “understandably” feel cautious due to fearing they will not be believed.

She added: “We have to contextualise it in the fact we are seeing year on year reductions in prosecutions and convictions for sexual violence. People will feel will less confident about reporting to the police due to knowing the chances of a successful prosecution and conviction are low.”

Prosecution and conviction for sexual assault and rape are historically low - with government data showing in the year to March just 1.4 per cent of 55,130 rape cases recorded by police resulted in prosecution.

Dr Bows noted sexual offences are a “violation” of victims’ “body and privacy” – adding the crimes affect people “physically” and “emotionally”.

“It is serious as it is not only pervasive but because of the long-lasting impact on survivors’ lives,” she added.

While Estelle du Boulay, director of Rights of Women, a leading women’s legal rights charity, told The Independent the fresh data demonstrate the “prevalence” of “male violence against women” and how poorly the justice system deals with the issue.

“The statistics echo what we hear from survivors every day: that they do not think police can help them, and that the criminal justice process will be a humiliating and traumatising experience,” she added.

“Survivors deserve justice and safety from rape and sexual violence, this report evidences the lack of trust in the system to treat victims fairly and ability to respond to violence against women and girls. In the context of the death of Sarah Everard and public outcry over the past week, this demonstrates an overall a picture of the threat to women’s safety in all spaces and the critical need for urgent action.”

People have taken to London's streets, with arrests made after protesters marched through central London to mourn Sarah Everard in the wake of her alleged murder, to call out the heavy-handed policing of a vigil to remember her on Saturday night and condemn the wider issue of violence against women.