A mum who was raped at a house party as a child is still fighting for justice over a decade later.
Emily* (not her real name) has bravely shared her story in the hope it will help other people who have been through similar experiences and highlight the lack of convictions for such crimes. Emily claims the first incident happened when she was 14-years-old when she went to what she and her friend thought was a house party.
When they arrived, Emily said there were three boys there the friends didn't know. Emily, who described herself as a "naïve 14-year-old" at the time, said she and her friend were "very scared" as they didn't know these people.
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At one point one of the boys allegedly asked Emily to come over to "look at something on Facebook". Before she knew it, Emily said "the bedroom was locked" and she was assaulted.
Speaking to the ECHO, she said: "I remember crying and everything and he was just like ‘just be quiet’ it will be over soon and he started stripping me off and things like that." Emily reported the incident to the police.
A spokesperson for Merseyside Police told the ECHO they can confirm the victim made an allegation of sexual assault in September 2007 when she was 14. A 13-year-old boy was arrested at the time and police said following consultation with the CPS there was “insufficient evidence to move the case forward.”
They added the case and evidence was “fully reviewed” by a CPS prosecutor and decision not to prosecute was based on “evidential grounds”. The spokesperson also said Merseyside Police were unaware of any information or evidence in addition to the material reviewed in 2008; however, they would consider any further new evidence made available.
Emily disputes this and said: "Basically in my eyes, there was quite a lot of evidence there. For one, I had gone to the Rainbow Centre and they gave me the morning after pill. There was DNA found inside me. I had bruises on my body."
The victim claims the investigation was not progressed due to it becoming her "word against" her alleged rapist. It was a number of years later that Emily, now a mum, went through another horrific experience.
She got into a relationship with a man who she said she "thought was a genuine guy" and "was seeing him for quite a while." However, she said after around six months he would ask for a specific sex act, but when Emily said no he would "do it anyway".
She said: "I didn’t realise at the time what it was, but this happened on several occasions in the two years I was with him but there was a lot of coercive control as well. So even when we split up, I felt like I needed him but I would say to him it was wrong.
"He made it sound like it was something perfectly normal and then when someone says it that confidently and they make it sound like it is perfectly normal, you kind of jump on that."
Emily said she had confided in friends who told her his behaviour was not normal. Following this, she said the incidents left her feeling suicidal. She said: "I was just feeling so down, I was feeling suicidal. I was very close to doing something because I couldn’t take everything in my mind.
"So I called Safe Space and I said ‘I just want to know what this is because I am not sure what it is any more’ and she said ‘you’ve been raped’." Emily was referred to a Merseyside-based charity who help rape and sexual assault victims and they encouraged her to report the situation to police.
She added: "I was a bit apprehensive because of last time and what had happened but I reported anyway. This was like last June or something when I reported it. So I had a video interview and then a couple of weeks ago the officer messaged me and said ‘I am sorry we’re not going ahead with it, there just isn't enough evidence to take it to the CPS'."
Merseyside Police confirmed they received a report of domestic abuse and rape in November 2021 based on events alleged to have happened in Toxteth between 2019 and 2020. In February 2022, a 27-year-old man from Liverpool voluntarily attended a police station in Merseyside and was questioned by officers. However, Merseyside Police said following consultation with the CPS “it was decided there was insufficient evidence to proceed and no further action was taken.”
Emily said she questioned why as she believed there was enough evidence, including a friend who was willing to provide a testimony. She said: "I had a voicemail on the phone where he more or less admitted it. I had CCTV of him coming to the house and putting chocolates and flowers on the step and saying he was sorry for everything and he doesn’t know why he has done it and he can’t control himself and things like that.
"But police said because he didn’t directly say it in those words nothing could be done about it." Emily has now been diagnosed with PTSD and is on medication following what has happened to her.
She said: "I had to take a lot of time off uni to try and deal with things. I have been scared of going out on my own. So it’s the after-effects. I feel like now I can’t even breathe properly because there is no conviction and I just feel like I have been let down again. I feel like the police see me as a girl who has cried rape twice."
Emily said there is little after-support after reporting such incidents but she has been getting help from local charity. According to charity Rape Crisis, only one in 100 rapes reported to police resulted in a charge in 2021.
Emily said she has also filed a complaint with Merseyside Police as she claims the way her case was handled was "unprofessional" and she believes certain pieces of evidence such as phone records have not been analysed properly. She has now engaged a solicitor to pursue the matter on her behalf.
She said she hopes sharing her story will help others. She added: "people will look at [my story] and it might have happened to them years ago and I want to speak to people about this even if it just gets to one person, that’s just my aim."
The full statement from Merseyside Police
We can confirm that Merseyside Police received a report of domestic abuse and rape from this woman in November 2021 based on events alleged to have happened in Toxteth between 2019 and 2020. In February 2022, a 27-year-old man from Liverpool voluntarily attended a police station in Merseyside and was questioned by officers. Following consultation with the CPS it was decided there was insufficient evidence to proceed and no further action was taken.
As reported by the victim to the Echo we can confirm that the victim had also made an allegation of sexual assault in September 2007, when she was 14 years of age. A 13-year-old male was arrested at the time and following consultation with the CPS there was insufficient evidence to move the case forward.
The case and all evidence at the time was fully reviewed by a CPS prosecutor and the decision not to prosecute was based on evidential grounds. Merseyside Police are unaware of any additional information or evidence in addition to the material reviewed in 2008; however, will consider any further new evidence made available.
In relation to the investigation carried out regarding the reports of domestic abuse and rape between 2019 and 2020 specially trained officers from our Protecting Vulnerable People Unit conducted thorough enquiries into the allegations made including interviews and analysis of mobile phone records. Following an in-depth investigation, police concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute in this case
Following a complaint made regarding the case an officer contacted the victim to understand the complaint further; however; it was not possible to progress as no further comments were made. Merseyside Police recognises any concerns and fears victims may have when they come forward and there could be a variety of complex issues for this. Our specialist teams work really hard to engage and support with anyone who has experienced or is affected by domestic abuse and rape.
If you have been a victim of any sexual assault then report the crime as soon as you can. You will receive extensive help and support. At Merseyside Police we have specially trained officers from our dedicated Unity Team who will listen to you, treat you with sensitivity and compassion and thoroughly review all evidence.
We are committed to investigating violence against women and girls, which includes sexual offences and domestic abuse. If you have been a victim of any sexual assault we encourage you to report the crime as soon as you can. You will receive extensive help and support. Our specially trained officers will listen to you, treat you with sensitivity and compassion and thoroughly review all evidence.
We are committed to working together with communities and partner agencies to tackle all Violence Against Women and Girls. A key part of that is ensuring victims feel they will be believed and supported when they report offending to us, and we have developed a programme of work to ensure that we do everything in our power to support victims, target perpetrators and reduce violence.
We work closely with local domestic support organisations, local authorities, safeguarding teams and charities to ensure that services and ongoing support are available, including access to refuges.
We also have a number of specialist departments within the police to investigate these crimes but it’s important that we all work together to support survivors and collectively work to prevent these crimes occurring in the first place by raising awareness. Domestic abuse is a complex issue and can take many forms. It can be psychological, financial, sexual, emotional and physical and we would appeal to victims of domestic abuse not to suffer in silence and to come forward to report abuse.
We want to raise awareness of the support that is available to anyone who is or has experienced domestic abuse or has been affected by it so that nobody else has to suffer or silence or go through what they have been through.
There are a number of ways to report: Call us - If you are in immediate danger, always call 999. If you ring 999 and are not in a safe position to speak to us then cough, or tap, the phone and press 55, when prompted. This will alert the operator that you need assistance and we will provide support. Online – You can report online domestic abuse to us online Report domestic abuse | Merseyside Police and someone will get back to you, via your specified method, within 24 hours.
All reports are treated seriously, they will be investigated sensitively and we will work with our partners to offer support and keep victims safe. We understand that every domestic incident is unique and we will do everything we can to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, so the victims of this terrible and under-reported crime are protected and their needs are put first.
Merseyside Police would also appeal to families and friends to keep an eye out for signs that someone may be a victim of domestic abuse. Sometimes victims are unable to contact the police, which is why it’s so important the people around them who suspect something is going can do it on their behalf.
If you have any non-urgent information on domestic abuse – if you are a victim or believe someone you know is a victim - you can contact direct message @MerPolCC on Twitter, ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ on Facebook or contact @CrimestoppersUK, anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Further support can also be found at these national agencies: Women’s Aid | womensaid.org.uk | 0808 200 0247 (24 hours), click here. Refuge (includes information for men) | refuge.org.uk | 0808 200 0247 (24 hours). National Domestic Violence helpline on 0808 200 0247 (24 hours). The Police and Crime Commissioner’s Victim Care Merseyside service delivered jointly by two registered charities: https://www.victimcaremerseyside.org/.
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