Experts say rape victims have been ‘failed‘ by a system that has seen national detection rates plummet to a new low.
One in 42 adult rapes investigated by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) last year led to a criminal charge or summons, according to Home Office figures.
Some 57 - or 2.4 per cent of completed cases - resulted in a charge or summons after police finished considering the evidence, according to the Home Office data.
However, GMP disputes those figures and says 71 adult rape investigations opened in the 12 months to March 2022 resulted in a charge or summons. Using the figures provided by the force, the percentage changes to 3 per cent - meaning one in 33 adult rapes investigated during that period led to a criminal charge or summons.
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The M.E.N. asked both the Home Office and GMP to provide further detail or explanation on the discrepancy in numbers but did not receive any at the time of publishing.
GMP later highlighted that people charged after the force gave the Home Office its figures will not have been factored into the stats.
Anne Stebbings, chief executive of Greater Manchester Rape Crisis, says victims and survivors have been failed by the justice system. “When GMP disbanded specialist rape investigation units Greater Manchester Rape Crisis (GMRC) predicted that this would be the result but our concerns were dismissed,” she says. “We cannot see how these figures show anything but a failure of victims and survivors.”
Duncan Craig OBE is a survivor himself and chief executive at Survivors Manchester, a charity which helps male victims of rape and sexual assault. He is ‘extremely troubled’ by the figures and says they should ‘absolutely be a cause for concern’.
“Having only just been released from special measures, it’s clear that Greater Manchester Police still have a mountain to climb with regards rape and serious sexual offences,” he says. “I once again invite the chief constable to meet with myself and my amazing colleagues from Greater Manchester Rape Crisis and others within the sexual violence sector to discuss how we move forward.”
Duncan referenced the case of Reynhard Sinaga - the serial rapist currently serving a 40-year prison sentence for 136 rapes and a string of sexual assaults against 48 men.
“Despite the fact that we seem to have forgotten, we must not forget that Manchester is the home to the biggest rape case in British legal history - a badge I don’t want us to wear. I would much rather be known as the place where victims and survivors, like me, get the best support in the world.”
Nationally, one in 40 adult rapes investigated by police led to a criminal charge or summons - a record low for England and Wales. For the worst-performing police force nationally, the rate was lower than one in 100, according to exclusive analysis of official crime figures by Reach’s data unit.
Commenting on the national figures, Jayne Butler, CEO of the charity Rape Crisis, says survivors who report rape and sexual assault expect accountability for the perpetrator. “With so many survivors being denied their opportunity to seek justice; it's clear that the system isn't working,” she says.
The Home Office figures have been analysed just over 18 months after the Government launched a ‘Rape Review Action Plan’ which aimed to ensure more rapists face justice. Dominic Raab claimed in December that ‘significant progress’ had been made in the review.
But Yvette Cooper, Labour’s shadow home secretary, says rape victims are being ‘systematically let down by this government’. "Labour has a plan to put a specialist rape unit in every police force in England and Wales, paired with specialist rape courts to fast-track cases through the system. Victims of these hideous crimes need and deserve the best possible support,” she says.
Liberal Democrat equalities spokesperson, Christine Jardine MP, says the criminal justice system ‘continues to fail women’. “That just 2.5 per cent of adult rape investigations result in a charge or summons is unacceptable and speaks to the current and serious failures within the police and the Crown Prosecution Service when it comes to investigating and prosecuting rape and sexual assault,” she says.
A record 50,000 adult rapes were reported nationally in the 12 months ending March 2022 and police have completed their investigations in just under 40,000 of these cases, the Home Office figures show. Some 988 - 2.5 per cent of cases - resulted in a charge or summons after police finished considering the evidence.
Ms Jardine says the statistics prove the review has ‘not gone far enough’. “We need immediate, radical action from Conservative ministers,” she says. “This includes better training and resources for police, prosecutors, and judges who support survivors. It’s the only way to ensure that criminals are punished, and survivors get the justice they deserve.”
Academic Mary Morgan is an expert in body politics who focuses on the elimination of rape and rape culture from our society. She says: “Women are fearful to come forward for so many reasons, but ultimately because they are afraid they will not receive justice and will endure a second victimisation by the system. Victims look at the devastating statistics, and see how slim of a chance there is of justice, and how horrendous the process is.”
The government says adult rape referrals for prosecution have increased by 63 per cent since the introduction of the Joint National Action Plan between police and the Crown Prosecution Service in January 2021. But those figures do not show when a crime was reported and are not reflected in statistics showing rapes that were reported to police last year. On average it takes 346 days from a rape first being reported to a suspect being charged, according to the latest Ministry of Justice data.
The Home Office is investing £6.5m in Operation Soteria, a project which brings together academics and frontline police officers to develop a new national operating model for the investigation of rape, which will be available to all police forces in England and Wales from June 2023.
The National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) says Operation Soteria “offers an opportunity like no other to get to the bottom of the issues impacting successful investigations and prosecutions”.
It says Soteria will “improve the victim experience” and ensure that survivors of rape are “listened to, treated with respect and compassion” and can be confident that “a thorough investigation will be launched”.
Chief Constable Sarah Crew, National Police Chief’s Council lead for Rape and Adult Sexual Offences, says: “The effective investigation and prosecution of rape is one of the most important challenges facing the criminal justice system, and policing recognises that more must be done to see the response to rape and sexual offences improve.
“Together with the CPS, we have implemented a joint action plan which aims to increase the number of cases being taken to court and the number of offenders being sent to prison. Our plan is wide-ranging, and we are making good progress, but as these latest figures show, there is much more to do.”
A Home Office spokesperson adds: “There is still a long way to go in tackling rape and delivering justice for victims. That’s why we’re working on an ambitious programme, Operation Soteria, to transform rape investigations and prosecutions, as well as bringing in new powers to stop unnecessary and intrusive requests for victims’ phones and personal information.
“Across the criminal justice system, we need to raise the bar and ensure that victims know they will be taken seriously, and that the criminals responsible are put behind bars."
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: "Following extensive analysis, GMP does not recognize this data as accurate. To date, 130 (71 adult and 59 child) rape investigations opened in the 12 months to March 2022 have resulted in a charge or summons.
"It is imperative that this does not discourage victims from reporting crimes - investigations of this nature can sometimes be complex and lengthy but officers work alongside specialist partner agencies to ensure support is in place at every stage.
"The force is absolutely committed to improving outcomes across all crime types, but particularly relating to rape and serious sexual offences. 288 rape investigations resulted in a charge or summons in the 12 months to January 2023."
The force added: "GMP is proud to be one of 14 forces working with the Home Office and National Police Chief’s Council to roll out a national operating model to transform the police response to rape and serious sexual offences. Whilst work is ongoing in this area, there are officers in every district across Greater Manchester who specialise in the investigation of these types of crime."
UPDATE: This story was updated at 3pm on February 24 to reflect that GMP later highlighted that people charged after the force gave the Home Office its figures will not have been factored into the stats.
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