Rape Is On The Way Out . . . . Or Is It ?

[Canary42]

The number of rape convictions in England and Wales is at its lowest level since records began.

There were 1,925 convictions in 2018-19 - a 27% drop from the previous year.

This was in spite of allegations of rape reaching a high of 58,000 in England and Wales.

So, which is it ?

Answers on a postcard please to your nearest Judiciary (the address is Cloud Cuckoo Land .

[Old_Geezer]

On the way out ?
Quite the reverse !

[Smowball]

Agree with OG.

[sanmac]

Convictions are down could simply mean that arrests are down, it doesn't necessarily mean that the crime of rape is down.

[hc4361]

One of the hardest offences to prove. I think there may have an unnatural spike over the past few years because of all the historic cases that have come before the court.

[Canary42]

Thanks for the responses. I agree with most of you - and the lack of convictions is very worrying.

I'm glad I'm not a woman (and if I was I'm probably well above the rapeable age (although there have been one or two horrific cases of Oldies as victims).

[brainiac]

'The rapeable age' - what a charming expression. Canary42, do tell us what that age might be.

[david small]

Forced rapes should equal forced physical castrations.

[Canary42]

/// Canary42, do tell us what that age might be. ///

Not being a rapist, or ever having such an inclination, I've no idea I'm afraid. I just think 77 is perhaps a bit beyond it, but that's an uninformed opinion, not a fact.

[brainiac]

Thanks for letting us know your opinion is 'uninformed'

[Barmaid]

Although allegations may have reached a high - they are likely still going through the system. As for convictions being lower than ever, I wonder if this is partly due to the cuts in the criminal courts. Whereas some cities would 12 or 13 Crown Courts sitting in a day, now they are down to 2 or 3. The Courts simply dont have the staff to run as many cases as they did. Plus the CPS is massively understaffed.

[vetuste_ennemi]

"Rapeable age"? Far too many assumptions here. Need to understand that moral attitudes are largely cultural and that in the interest of "inclusion" we shouldn't be judgmental of others who are different.

This is an example of a seventy-two year old Austrian woman who enjoyed multi-cultural enrichment:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/731257/Migrant-sex-attack-austria-oap

[Canary42]

/// Thanks for letting us know your opinion is 'uninformed' ///

My pleasure.

[vetuste_ennemi]

//Plus the CPS is massively understaffed//

Some people might think that the CPS is overstaffed, Barmaid.

[jim360]

Then some people are mistaken. If you want to increase the conviction rate then you need the staff that have the freedom to gather evidence (police) and assess it competently without a massive workload bogging them down or distracting them (CPS).

I fear it's also sadly because it's very difficult to secure a conviction in many cases anyway. One person's word against another person's is not really enough to convict, and it can be difficult to gather much convincing and relevant evidence beyond that at the best of times. If it happened behind closed doors where are the witnesses? If it wasn't a "violent" rape -- in the extremely narrow sense of no physical force being used to restrain the victim that leads to bruising etc -- then what signs are there that there was a struggle? And if the defence manages to demonstrate that, shock horror, the complainant is known to enjoy sex on occasion...