Start believing genuine rape victims!

[Ajaysmith]

Rape convictions are 21% lower than all other criminal convictions (Office for National Statistics). False reports account of 4% of complaints (Home Office). Case collapse accounts for 0.15% per total prosecutions. However, there is still an assumption by the general public that the majority of victims lie. Those genuine victims complaining of rape, who are brave enough to enter the stand, where evidence is unequivocal, are then let down by juries still subscribing to rape myths. Please help address this weakness by signing this petition.

<a class="break-all" href="http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=petition.parliament.uk/petitions/209573" target="_blank">https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/209573

Elendon I said "I think" because statistics are complex and confusing! I am always cautious making assertions based on statistics, but I do think people have a misconception about rape conviction rates as opposed to rapes reported which never go to trial, and also rapes which never get reported. It is important to understand all of this, I think, and it is very complex.

Oh those numbers were for rapes specifically, on page 6. Here is a longer excerpt:

Rape
 The volume of rape referrals from the police rose to 6,855 in 2015-16 – a rise of 696 referrals (11.3%) from 2014-15.
 3,910 (57% of these referrals) were charged, the highest volumes ever recorded and a rise of 262 charged defendants (7.2%) from 2014-15.
 The volume of prosecutions completed in 2015-16 rose to 4,643 – a rise of 107 prosecutions (2.4%) from 2014-15, the highest volume ever recorded.
 Of those defendants where gender was recorded, 98.6% were male and 1.4% female – the VAWG data annex of the report provides further breakdown by gender10.
9 Note CPS stalking and harassment data is only available from the offence-based data system and therefore cannot include data on police referrals and charging.
6
 The volume of convictions reached 2,689 – a rise of 108 defendants (4.2%) since 2014-15, the highest volume ever recorded.
 The CPS conviction rate in 2015-16 rose to 57.9% from 56.9% in 2014-15.
 Of all unsuccessful outcomes11, the proportion due to jury acquittals has fallen slightly to
61.4% in 2015-16 from 62.7% in 2014-15.
 National statistics from the MoJ, as the official statistics on defendants prosecuted for rape are included in Annex 2 of the VAWG data report annex to contextualise the CPS data and explain the differences in MoJ/CPS conviction ratios and rates.
 A joint Police/CPS National Rape Steering Group was set up in 2015 to implement the tools and actions from the 2014-15 National Rape Action Plan and recommendations from the independent reviews12 in 2014 and 2015.

"Of all unsuccessful outcomes11, the proportion due to jury acquittals has fallen slightly to
61.4% in 2015-16 from 62.7% in 2014-15"

Does this mean that 61.4% & 62.7% were acquitted by the jury?

According to last year's closing national statistics (ONS), all crime conviction rates (including rape) were 21% points ABOVE the rates pertaining to rape and sexual assault alone. I agree that statistics are a mine field but this is pretty stark. In addition, I have personal experience of the damage caused.