A
recent report from the Crown Prosecution Service [CPS] for England
and Wales shows an upturn in reporting, recording, prosecutions
and convictions in sexual harm [including, Rape, Child Sexual Abuse,
Prostitution, Honour based offences, etc.] for the year 14/15 for women and girls. Although
the report indicated that the largest increases were for women and girls as
victims of sexual harm and for males as perpetrators, it does also show that
there was an increase for men and boys as victims as well as for females as
perpetrators too. The data came from the CPS case management system, which
means that the results and analysis were based upon what was recorded by CPS
staff via the existing databases and systems.
The
report signals that:
- The
volume of referral’s to the CPS for Sexual Abuse, Domestic Violence and Rape
decreased by 3.3% to 124,737 compared to 14/15;
- The
volume of individuals charged with Sexual Abuse, Domestic Violence and Rape by
the CPS increased by 0.5% to 86,067 compared to 14/15;
- The
volume of individuals prosecuted by the CPS for Sexual Abuse, Domestic Violence
and Rape increased by 9.8%, to 117,568 defendant’s, from 14/15 to the highest
level ever recorded; and
- The
volume of individuals convicted of Sexual Abuse, Domestic Violence and Rape
also rose by 10.8%, to 87,275, from 14/15 to 87,275 in 15/16, to the highest
level ever recorded.
The
main take-home message from the report is that the volume of prosecutions and
convictions across the violence against women and children spectrum is the
highest that they have been over the last nine years that the CPS has been
recording them in this fashion and that new, as well as relatively new,
offences (e.g., Female Genital Mutilation, Honour Based crimes and revenge porn
offences) have shown increasing referral’s, charges, prosecutions and
convictions. The report highlights, what we have often suspected, that the
rates of sexual harm and violence against women and children do not match the
reality of sexual harm in society. However, it’s important to put these
findings into context as we need to recognise that 15/16 was not necessarily a
peak year for sexual harm, but rather that it is an indication of a turning
tide in society;
- There
seems to be a growing trust in the Criminal Justice System epically the police; the public seems to be more
willing to report crime and seek prosecutions.
- An
increased awareness of violence against women and children in society because
of high profile media cases, the IICSA investigation and a series government reviews (inc,
prostitution, hate crime, etc).
- Updates and changes to crime recording (including,
the recording of new crimes and a change in terminology in existing ones) means
that some offences may have not been recorded previously, or if they had been
recorded they may have been recorded in a different category.
- The
increase in historical sexual harm offences being
reported and processed by the police, CPS and Courts.
- A
commitment from the CPS to offer more support to victims of
sexual harm, with the former Prime Minister calling sexual abuse a national threat.
- An
increase in funding to understand, prevent and respond to FMG, honour-based
violence and trafficking from the UK government.
This
highlights a commitment from the Criminal Justice System in England & Wales
and UK government to respond to sexual harm, and related offences, resulting in
increased reporting, recording, prosecutions and convictions. The increase
revealed by the CPS report is not surprising given the under-reported nature of
sexual harm and starts to help us understand the nature of these offences in
society; the take-home message seems to be the more we talk, the more we see
and the clearer picture we get. Therefore it’s not so much an increase,
potentially, but rather a reality check and call for more preventive work and
public/societal engagement work to be done.
Kieran McCartan, PhD
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