Thread by @BethRigby

Rape Review, govt action plan
- Increase no. of rape cases reaching court to 2016 levels (2,102 prosecutions 2019/20. 5,190 in 2016/17)
Criminal justice system to be rated to try to improve peformance
No victim left w/out phone for over 24 hrs
*Can’t see more funding in plan*

Rape review CONTEXT
- 55,130 rapes recorded but 2,102 prosecutions, 1,439 convictions in Eng & Wales 2019/20 (41,616 rapes - ⅓ less - 5,190 prosecutions, 2,991 convictions 2016/17).

CPS prosecuted & convicted fewer people in 2019/20 than in any other year where data exists 2/

HM Crown Prosecution service warned (Dec '19) gov cuts could be driving down rape prosecutions after leaving criminal justice system “close to breaking point”. HMCPSI said stretched police forces were taking mths to investigate allegations & referring fewer for potential charges

MoJ has experienced cuts to its departmental budget under austerity. In 2017, IFS calculated that in decade since 2010-11, the MoJ’s budget was to be cut by c40%. Spending plans since revised upwards. But in 2019-20, total MoJ budget was around 25% lower than in 2010-11 4/

.@RobertBuckland: “Too many victims of rape and sexual violence have been denied the justice they deserve as a result of systemic failings. We are deeply sorry for this & will not rest until real improvements are made..." 5/

.@RobertBuckland .."From transforming support given to victims, to ensuring cases are investigated fully and prosecuted robustly… Action plan "will drive the wholesale change needed to tackle this horrific crime and restore faith in the criminal justice system.” 6/

Labour’s @jessphillips says review a “missed opportunity” & recommendations “do not go anywhere near far enough”
- “Not a single penny offered in extra support services”
- Offers progress in how rape victims cross examined but only pilot for few areas (+ only 3 courts added)7/

.@jessphillips "After waiting over 2 years for this to be published by govt, the review and its recommendations do not go anywhere near far enough. Rape prosecutions are at a record low, that means rapists and sexual predators are left on our streets..... 8/

.@jessphillips "Despite the sorry tone of review in which the govt admits to its shame it falls short of recognising that that it has failed victims of rape on every front by pushing justice system to the brink of collapse thru a decade of cuts to police, courts & the CPS…9/

.@jessphillips: "There's not single penny offered in extra support services, merely a hope that they will exist. This is the triumph of hope over experience. The review has offered nothing more, no sustainable funding or additional support 10/ We'll have more on @skynews tmrw

Just to add to my stats on reported rapes (55k) to prosecutions (2,102) in yr to March 2020.

There are an estimated 128k victims of rape ( incl attempts) a year. So only half ever reported &, in year to March 2020, only 1,439 convicted

It's just astonishing. And beyond awful