Well now we know why rape prosecutions are so low

[Hoardasurass]

This is a very depressing and infuriating article that explains why rape prosecutions are at 2.6% of reported rapes. The police just don't care about the victims

Trainee officers investigating complicated rape, new report reveals https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13767097/Trainee-police-officers-investigating-complicated-rape-cases.html?ito=native_share_article-nativemenubutton

And the RASSO officers are being sent to police football matches and festivals, delaying rape and sexual assault investigations.

Apparently, stopping men from beating up other men is more important than investigating men's abuse of women.

(The usual caveats apply that I'm using wording that reflects the statistically most-common situations where usually men attack others and most sexual assault victims are women.)

Worth remembering the closed CPS consultations that relate to this:

www.cps.gov.uk/consultations

"The following consultations are now closed and awaiting outcomes:

Consultation on the Deception as to Gender section in the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) legal guidance
Opening date: 26 September 2022
Closing date: 20 December 2022
This consultation is now closed, awaiting outcomes

The CPS is conducting a public consultation on a proposed revision to its legal guidance on Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO), specifically Chapter 6: Consent, the section on Deception as to Gender. The purpose of the consultation is to provide interested persons with an opportunity to provide comments and to ensure the final version of the guidance is informed by as wide a range of views as possible.

Public consultation – rape policy statement and commitment to RASSO victims
Opening date: 28 October 2021
Closing date: 23 December 2021
This consultation is now closed, awaiting outcomes

Public consultation - Guidance on pre-trial therapy
Opening date: 30 July 2020
Closing date: 30 October 2020
This consultation is now closed, awaiting outcomes

The CPS is conducting a public consultation on the draft guidance on pre-trial therapy which replaces and combines earlier guidance the “Provision of Therapy for Child Witnesses Prior to a Criminal Trial” and the “Provision of Therapy for Vulnerable or Intimidated Adult Witnesses prior to a Criminal Trial”, 2002."

Don't the football clubs and some of the festivals have to pay the police for security? It's also probably a bit of a treat for the officers rather than dealing with complicated rape cases.

I believe the police are having a retention problem. Hardly surprising if the trainees are dealing with these cases before they're ready. It must be very demoralising. The good ones will feel they've failed the victims and quit.

Don't the football clubs and some of the festivals have to pay the police for security?

Wont explain the circumstances in which I asked this, but at an "event" I noticed a huge number of police which seemed disproportionate to what was actually happening.

So I asked a group of police who were just standing around chatting to each other, and they said its based on some sort of forumula, expected crowd size X = Y number of police. Many of them on over time and from other police forces.

And, dont wont this to seem a derail, but wonder if the police are using this blanket formula to generate income and get over time for officers.

But back to the claim in the article headline.

What we need are actual facts eg

Number of reported instance of rape
Number of actual investigation
Number of investigations then sent to the CPS
Number of cases the CPS actually takes to court

Quite honestly as far as I can see it makes no difference if "experienced" police officers are investigating. There is no evidence that the investigation of reported rapes has actually changed.

And if it is true, then it says something not just about the police, but the general public, that they would prioritise policing events for public enjoyment over investigations of a crime.

Can you imagine football fans or fesitival goers being told their event wont go ahead, or only for a reduced number, because the "correct" number of police cant be made available because they are investigating actual crimes? Let alone crimes against women?

Can you imagine football fans or fesitival goers being told their event wont go ahead, or only for a reduced number, because the "correct" number of police cant be made available because they are investigating actual crimes? Let alone crimes against women?

Oh look, it's male entitlement again.

Don't event security companies exist to deal with this problem?

£30m of your tax money is spent on policing football matches
https://archive.is/BK2j5

Don't event security companies exist to deal with this problem?

I've lost the link but apparently clubs are supposed to provide security inside their football ground, but outside ie fans arriving and leaving is police business. ie a public space.

Just to get back to the OP:

Police are delaying arresting rape suspects and cancelling appointments with victims because investigators are being sent to staff football matches and festivals, a watchdog has warned.

A damning report found half of the police officers investigating complicated rape and sexual assault cases are trainees yet to fully qualify.

Stretched forces use trainee detectives, student officers and investigators with no sexual assault training to plug gaps in teams probing the most serious rape cases, the watchdog review found.

You cant help but wonder why experience police officers are being sent of to do what is primarily traffic control, instead of sending ther trainees.

Really upside down idea.

Strange that the End Violence Against Women campaign group who also commented on the policing report didn't come to the same conclusion.

Nationwide failures in prosecuting rape have made it an imperative to transform the way police investigate sexual offences. Today’s report shows Operation Soteria has started to make a real difference to the way some police forces are handling rape cases, but this response has got to be turbocharged if we are to see the scale of transformation needed across the country. We welcome the inspector’s recognition of the need for culture change and a systems-based approach, and that Soteria’s ambition must be met with the resources it needs.

https://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/soteria-shows-early-promise-in-transforming-rape-investigations/