CPS won't prosecute my rape because..

[ahundredacre]

I am not traumatised enough.

I have just got an email from my solicitor with the response from my victims right to review appeal. This was the key line. I haven't read the attached CPS letter yet because I'm on public transport trying not to cry. Apparently in text messages after the event I do not sound traumatised enough.

[Lemon12345]

Fucking ridiculous. Stuff like this really pisses me off.

All I can hope is that things like this will change with time, but that really is no help at all to those like you OP, that are dealing with this shit now.

This is a big hit. Take care.

[ArcheryAnnie]

I am so sorry, ahundredacre. And you, too ACuriousOwl.

It really is not justice.

to you both.

[gamerchick]

I'm so sorry OP

In my experience it's pretty normal, as is not being upset enough in the video interview.

The system sucks. No wonder so many woman don't bother reporting

[venusinscorpio]

I've read that it's a known tactic of rapists to text their victims after the event for precisely this reason.

[Isadora2007]

I have no words. That is simply gib smacking in this day and age.
I'm so sorry. for OP and all others affected similarly.

[DJBaggySmalls]

I honestly feel like things are as bad as they were 30 years ago, and we've made no advances at all.

[Atenco]

Whao. So a crime is not a crime if the victim is resilient?

[Rubies12345]

I've read that it's a known tactic of rapists to text their victims after the event for precisely this reason

I thought the OP meant texts to friends and family?

Sorry this has happened to you

[rosewineisgreat]

I'm so sorry OP.

[user1484573123]

Hi OP. I know this must be really hard. It can take a long time to actually understand what happened after an assault. It leaves you confused, numb, and in denial. When it happened to me, I was in denial for a long time. I sought advice from the police in the end as I had to go under police protection, but was advised that it would be very difficult to prosecute, due to it having been my partner at the time, and his words against mine, our correspondence after it happened and so forth. I only managed to speak about it to the police nearly 3 weeks after it happened.
I am still learning to cope. He is walking free with no remorse or consequences.
I am sorry this is happening to you too. Hugs xoxo

[Cocklodger]

I'm so sorry.
Mine got to court.
He walked away a free man. I'm still not sure why.
I was judged consenting as a 13yr old girl - I was also said to be promiscuous and dressed inappropriately (Dads old hoodie and comfy leggings, my PJ's, it was night time)
I have been raped twice since.
I refuse to phone the police.
I got myself checked out at a clinic each time and just said I'd had sex with someone who wasn't a regular partner with no condom.
I'm so sorry.
I know I'm probably not helping.But I want you to know you're not the only one who has been through this.

[northender]

Words fail me

[FondantNancy]

Fucking hell, that is jaw-droppingly awful. As if there is a blueprint for human behaviour after a traumatic event.

So sorry, OP.

[venusinscorpio]

Rubies

She may have done, but it still illustrates a point about your tone being judged. Obviously some texts may be relevant as evidence. But not being "traumatised" is not something which can be easily decided from a text.

[MrsSpenserGregson]

So sorry ahundredacre

Furious on your behalf (and, sadly, not surprised, for the reasons Venus said)

It's really shit

[ThoraGruntwhistle]

I'm so sorry. It truly blows that such a decision is made on the grounds of how you 'sound' written down.

[Cocklodger]

Plenty of people show trauma and shock by shutting down and going through the motions, I know I do.
What do you want to do - Do you want to appeal?

[AyeAmarok]

Plenty of people show trauma and shock by shutting down and going through the motions, I know I do.

Exactly. This is very common actually.

I despair sometimes, I really do.

[CoughingForWeeks]

I never reported mine as I'd had a consenting, drunken, one night stand with him months previously and didn't think I'd be believed. I might have consented the second time had I not still been in the grips of norovirus but I definitely wasn't in the mood. I'm glad there are people like you who are braver than me, OP. Sorry you had to go through it at all and even sorrier that the CPS isn't going to punish the bastard, but I do think you are a strong, courageous woman for reporting it

[venusinscorpio]

Me too, cocklodger. This is certainly how it would have appeared to the outside world after my rape.

[ahundredacre]

Thank you for all the support. It is easy to fall into self-hated with this stuff.

It was messages to friends that they are referring to.

Ironically, in the days afterwards I had text conversations with my rapist where he explicitly admitted knowing that I didn't consent. I told the police but instead of taking him by surprise and looking for the phone, they phoned him and let him know and asked him to come in for a voluntary interview at a convenient time. Strangely, when they searched a year later after my complaint to police about them being shit, all his old phones were present except the one those messages were stored on.

So they lost the ones where he admits to raping me, and instead find ones that apparently indicate I was not traumatised enough.

I didn't have phone either, I broke it and replaced it during the time period I was adamant I would never ever report to police - they use this as justification too, that I didn't have the messages so why would he. Well I don't know but maybe you should have fucking looked for his phone without making assumptions.



I would potentially go to the press, and I spoke to a journalist ages ago but lost contact as she didn't seem that interested. I suspect because I wasn't willing to go public with name and photos etc.

[ahundredacre]

I don't think I can appeal anymore. I can meet with the CPS but they say that won't change their mind.

I'm going through the complaints process with the police and also bringing civil action against them for failings they have already admitted to. It just takes forever and makes little different as this is not justice.

[AndNowItsSeven]

MOstlyHet a female relative of mine was raped and they did not prosecute as she was deemed to mentally unstable. That was in 2015 so not much has changed.
Op am so sorry

[GelfBride]

Bloody hell! This thread!! You can see why a gang of lads sometimes get the rapist up a dark alley on a windy night and beat the living shite out of him can't you? Rough justice but at least it is justice of a sort. I don't begin to understand what this world is coming to tbh.

[YorkiesGlasses]

it's a reflection that they know how it would play to a rape-myth influenced jury

Isn't it about time something was finally done about this? What about taking jury members through a ten minute 'rape myths' presentation before a case starts?

This bias against victims is offensive.