A survey shows that only 1 in 10 survivors of sexual assault in England and Wales would report the crime again
Exclusive: Three out of four people say their mental health was harmed because of how the police treated them
Rape victims in England and Wales have agreed with Gisèle Pelicot from France, saying “shame belongs to the perpetrators, not to them.” This was found in the largest survey ever of rape and sexual assault survivors, according to the government’s main adviser on the issue.
The survey showed that three-quarters of the respondents felt their mental health was negatively affected “because of what the police did, or didn’t do, in their case.” Only 1 in 10 said they would report the crime again, according to the researchers.
However, changes made to the criminal justice system since 2021 are starting to show signs of improving victims’ experiences. For people who took part in the survey after July last year, 8% fewer reported their mental health being affected by police actions.
Only two out of five people surveyed thought the police were doing a good job. One in five said they had been pressured by officers to drop their case, with black and minority ethnic survivors having worse experiences than white survivors.
Operation Soteria, which focuses on the behavior of the perpetrators instead of the victims, started in 2023. It followed a review in June 2021 that explained why rape prosecutions had dropped. In 2016/17, there were 5,190 rape cases, but that number fell by 60% in four years, reaching only 2,102 in 2019/20, even though more people were reporting rape.
In the year ending December 2023, charges for sexual offences increased by 18%, and adult rape charges rose by 38%.
“Some victims are getting better help now, but not all of them,” said Katrin Hohl, the lead researcher and the government’s independent adviser on rape. “There are some signs of progress, but there is still a long way to go. This is the first clear sign that Operation Soteria is the right approach.”
The survey, which spoke to 5,000 rape survivors over 18 months, also found that since 2021, victims were less likely to be asked for counseling notes. They also reported that police were more empathetic, more likely to explain their rights, and more likely to refer them to support services.
After 2021, more people received support, but there were signs of a shortage of support workers. By July 2023, 46% of victims reported they were either on a waiting list or had no support at all.
The survey showed that while some police responses were good, others were only covering the basics. Sarah Crew, who leads national efforts on rape and Operation Soteria, said that issues like disadvantage, discrimination, and lack of knowledge are still affecting victims.
The survey also revealed that victims cared more about stopping perpetrators and making them understand their actions were wrong than about getting a conviction. When asked about seven possible outcomes, 88% of respondents said stopping the perpetrator from reoffending was “extremely important,” while only 56% said a conviction was “extremely important.”
“Like Gisèle Pelicot in France, victims are saying that shame belongs to the offenders, not to them,” said Hohl.
Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said: “What matters most to survivors is being treated with care, kindness, and respect. When this happens, it can really help their healing and recovery.”
The victims’ commissioner, Helen Newlove, asked the Home Office to continue funding for Operation Soteria, which ends in March 2025. “I worry that stopping the funding now, when it’s starting to make a real difference, could stop the progress we’ve made,” said Lady Newlove.
A Home Office spokesperson said they were still deciding how to allocate police funding for 2025-26, and the announcement would come later. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice said the CPS would get £49m to support victims of crime, including rape victims.
Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said the survey results were “clear” and showed the police response “is still not good enough.” She added: “We are determined to use these findings to make lasting improvements in policing as part of our larger goal to reduce violence against women and girls by half in the next decade.”
Published: 12th November 2024
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