A new report finds that many police officers in England and Wales think that most rape accusations reflect “regretful sex” and stand in the way of proper investigations.
The independent report, prepared by the British Home Office as part of something called Operation Soteria Bluestone, found a “culture of disbelieving [rape] victims” among some officers, who feel rape investigations should not be a priority for police. As a result, according to the report, “disproportionate investigation effort [is] being put into testing the credibility of a victim’s account.”
While the rape disbelievers make up a minority of officers, these officers may also “influence how new officers are socialised into rape and serious sexual offences work.”
“At worst,” the report concluded,
officers demonstrated explicit victim blaming and lack of belief in the victim, which impacted on the subsequent investigation.
For example, victim credibility was often focused on and used to either close or not investigate cases within some forces.
In addition, many investigators are inexperienced and lack “specialist knowledge” of sex offenses.
And people wonder why women are reluctant to report rapes to the police–and why so few rapists are convicted.
The report declared that
challenging internal cultures which undermine fair and equitable rape investigations is necessary as a matter of urgency.
Despite these dispiriting conclusions, some progress is being made. As the Independent notes,
A separate progress report published by the Government said it is “on track” to meet its target to more than double the number of adult rape cases reaching court by the end of this parliament.
So the situation is improving, but still terrible.
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@FM Ox: You have nailed it perfectly! And Ralph was always threatening to punch his wife. Have a cookie.
Whoever it is, he’s definitely a smug right-wing rapist.
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer used the same exact “regret is not rape” line, and it unfortunately seems like a third of the jury bought it in regards to three of the four victims. At least, he’s going a way for a long time for the fourth, but it’s not a great result to inspire future victims to try getting justice for themselves.