The number of rape victims pulling out of prosecutions has reached the highest level since records began, shocking figures show.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has been accused of betraying victims as the number abandoning hope of getting justice and dropping out of their case has doubled in the last two years amid long waits for cases to come to court and a lack of support.
According to the latest figures, 98 rape prosecutions were ditched between January and March this year because the victim no longer supported the prosecution – the highest number since records began in 2023.
That represents a 51 per cent increase compared to the previous quarter and it is double the 47 aborted prosecutions recorded from April to June 2023, when CPS first started publishing data relating to ‘victim attrition’.
In the last five years there has been almost a four-fold increase in the number of rape cases dropped by prosecutors, legal analysis shows.
According to official CPS data, the number of adult rape prosecutions being ditched has rocketed from 160 in 2020/21 to 608 in 2024/5.
This rise has coincided with a significant increase in the volume of rape charges over that period, but legal analysis suggests the rate of acquittals in adult rape cases has almost doubled from 13.6 per cent to 24.5 per cent of prosecutions.
The alarming figures come after a damning inspection revealed prosecutors are ‘over-focusing on victim credibility’ rather than concentrating on the suspect.
The number of rape victims pulling out of prosecutions has reached the highest level since records began, shocking figures show. Pictured: File photo
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has been accused of betraying victims as the number abandoning hope of getting justice and dropping out of their case has doubled in the last two years. Pictured: File photo
Some 98 rape prosecutions were ditched between January and March this year because the victim no longer supported the prosecution – the highest number since records began in 2023. Pictured: File photo
Last month, the CPS watchdog concluded that in two thirds of rape cases the quality of pre-charge advice, case analysis and strategy was inadequate.
HMCPSI Chief Inspector Anthony Rogers said: ‘Our latest inspection shows that CPS urgently needs to improve.
‘Their handling of rape cases at the pre-charge stage is not good enough – creating problems for cases as they proceed and risking a poor service to victims.’
Professor Katrin Hohl, independent government advisor on criminal justice responses to rape, warned: ‘Poor case quality causes trial delays and reduces the chances of conviction.
‘This is letting victims down and contributes to the courts crisis.
‘I am also deeply troubled by the weak victim support and poor consideration of protective orders and bail conditions to keep victims safe from their attackers.
‘The CPS must urgently do better.’
Yesterday, campaigners accused CPS of letting down victims ‘time and time again’.
CPS watchdog chief inspector Anthony Rogers (pictured) said: ‘Our latest inspection shows that CPS urgently needs to improve’
Dame Vera Baird KC (pictured) said: ‘Just when you thought it could not get worse. It is the same pattern amplified by the delays of the criminal justice system’
Former victims’ commissioner Dame Vera Baird KC, now Chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), said: ‘These figures are dreadful.
‘Just when you thought it could not get worse. It is the same pattern amplified by the delays of the criminal justice system.
‘There is still too much focus on the victim rather than the suspect – what her phone might tell you about her background and so on.
‘Victims feel betrayed and are withdrawing because they don’t feel the police and CPS are on their side and they are waiting years for their trial.
‘The CPS are still shying away from cases which trigger rape myths, dropping them where there isn’t rock solid certainty of conviction.’
Harriet Bland from the Centre for Women’s Justice said: ‘We know from our work that rates of victim attrition are worryingly high, despite how committed victims need to be to come forward and report these offences.
‘Our justice system is chronically underfunded, leading to shocking delays in getting a trial date and the unavailability of barristers to prosecute these cases – many cases end simply as a result of this alarming combination.
‘We see victims being failed time and time again by prosecutions that drag on for years after the offence was reported, compounded by failures to support them through the justice system or provide them with independent legal advice to help them navigate the process.’
In the last five years there has been almost a four-fold increase in the number of rape cases dropped by prosecutors, legal analysis shows. Pictured: File photo
Peter Csemiczky of Hickman & Rose Solicitors, who carried out the analysis, said: ‘A recent HMCPI inspection identified numerous ways in which the CPS is failing complainants and accused individuals in rape cases.
‘Concerns include the CPS’s failure to provide meaningful advice to the police, failure to provide a proper analysis of evidence gathered during an investigation, and the failure to address disclosure – what material is likely to become key during the trial process.’
Maxime Rowson, head of policy and public affairs at Rape Crisis England and Wales said: ‘The increase in survivors withdrawing their support from sexual offence cases is a real concern.
‘However, it’s unfortunately unsurprising in the context of the current Crown Court backlog.
‘Many survivors understandably withdraw from the criminal justice process due to the interminable wait for trial and the multiple, often last-minute, postponements which have become so common for survivors seeking criminal justice.’
A CPS spokesman said: ‘Improving how we prosecute rape is a priority and, thanks to improved relationships with police, we have made strong progress in increasing both referrals and charges for these complex cases.
‘This has also led to a significant increase in convictions – over half of charged rape flagged cases – making sure more victims get the justice they deserve.
‘Though victims continue to support a prosecution in the vast majority of cases, too many still withdraw.
‘This is why we have introduced new initiatives such as introducing dedicated victim liaison officers for victims of adult rape and sexual assault in all 14 CPS areas.’
