The number of rape cases reaching court in England and Wales has increased after a series of record lows in previous years, new figures from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have shown.

Referrals, charges and prosecutions for rape all increased in the year ending March 2022, with the number of prosecutions alone rising by 62.9%. This number equates to an increase of 980 cases, with prosecution figures rising from 1557 in 2020-21 to 2537 in 2021-22.

This positive shift comes after a government review promised an overhaul of the criminal justice system to create a fairer landscape for rape survivors, one of the central aims of which was to boost the number of cases making it to trial in England and Wales. 

However, women’s rights campaigners have warned that this progress is “not enough” to fix the system as a whole – especially in light of the fact that new figures have shown that more sexual offences are being recorded than ever before.

“Women and girls are still being systematically failed by a system that’s meant to protect them and worse still, they are being actively harmed by a process that treats them like the one under investigation, with rape myths and stereotypes informing decision-making at every stage of a victim’s journey through the justice system,” said Andrea Simon, Director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW). 

“We urgently call for transformation so that all victims receive procedural justice by being treated fairly and equally when they report rape and sexual violence,” she continued. “We are still concerned about the inaccessible presentation of this essential data. This is a huge obstacle blocking true transparency and accountability to victims and survivors.

“What’s more, the CPS have failed to include data on timeliness of cases, when we know that rape survivors often face years for their case to go to court, if it gets there at all – far longer than victims of other types of crime.” 

In a joint statement responding to the increase in referrals, charges and prosecutions, Director of Public Prosecutions, Max Hill, QC and Chief Constable Sarah Crew, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Rape and Adult Sexual Offences said: “Rape is a devastating offence, and we are committed to improving every aspect of how these life-changing crimes are dealt with.

“Close joint working from the very start of an investigation means we can build the best possible cases more quickly. With police going to the CPS earlier in the process and more often, the rise in charging decisions will lead to more trials and more convictions.

“Early advice in these cases has been key in helping us use our joint resources more effectively and narrow the gap between the number of offences reported to the police and cases going to court.

“Working effectively together we have the potential to be so much more than the sum of our parts. We remain positive about the progress that is being made but recognise there is still a long way to go so more victims come forward and report with confidence.”

If you, or anyone you know, needs help and support, you can call the Rape Crisis national helpline on 0808 802 9999 (open 12pm - 2.30pm and 7pm - 9.30pm daily). You can also find your nearest centre or visit the website for more information. 

Image: Getty