Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to review and improve processes of investigation of rape allegations.

It is essential that all victims of rape and sexual violence are treated with dignity, and all investigations are conducted thoroughly and professionally.

We have supported HMIC’s publication of data on rape for every police force in the country as a basis for Chief Constables and PCCs to scrutinise how rape is dealt with in their local area, so that further improvements to the service provided to victims can be made.

We are strengthening law enforcement capacity and capability and have provided around £8m extra investment through the Police Transformation Fund to transform policing to respond to changing crimes and threats, including crimes against vulnerable people. This includes £1.9m awarded to the College of Policing to transform policing’s approach to vulnerability. This will allow the college to develop a more comprehensive package of training for new leaders, who will coach, brief and debrief front line officers so they are better able to identify signs of vulnerability and provide support to victims.

Training on domestic abuse, rape and sexual offences is contained within the Public Protection Learning Programme developed by the College of Policing. Initial response training for sexual offences is included in new recruit training. The College also provides guidance on investigating and prosecuting rape, and a toolkit providing rape investigating officers with in-depth guidance on challenging myths and stereotypes as well as evidential requirements on matters of consent. It is also developing clear standards to guide response at each level of investigation.

More crimes are being reported to the police and sentence lengths for rapists have increased. Police recorded crime figures show more victims are having the confidence to come forward and the volume of prosecutions for rape in 2015-16 rose to 4,643, the highest volume ever recorded.