Lincs: Reported rapes have almost doubled in the last year

Reported rapes in Lincolnshire have almost doubled in the last year, a new report has revealed.
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In the report, produced by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies on behalf of the Rape Monitoring Group, it shows that there were 208 reported adult rapes and and 96 children in 2015, compared to 109 adult and 68 child accusations in 2014.

But from these there were only 33 prosecutions and 24 convictions in 2014/15 and 26 prosecutions and 19 convictions in 2013/14.

Recorded rapes refer to all crimes of rape reported to the police that must be notified to the Home Office.

The report said: “Convictions of the guilty are extremely important outcomes, but convictions are not the only important outcomes for victims of rape, an opportunity to discuss the offending and to be listened to and believed is just as important.

“There are many reasons why a reported rape does not continue to conviction, either the police do not record the incident as a crime, the victim does not wish for the case to be taken forward, the CPS advises that no further action be taken, the offence is changed to something other than rape; and, importantly, the defendant is acquitted by a jury following a trial.”

DI Simon Lovett said: “It is thought the Operation Yewtree has had a significant impact on the number of people coming forward to report historic sexual abuse.

“This follows a number of high profile historic cases which have been investigated and resulted in custodial sentences for the perpetrator.

“Therefore there has been a significant increase in reporting nationally.

“This does not necessarily mean an increase in the crimes themselves but rather the reporting of them.

“There is certainly an improved level of trust and confidence in the Police to take such allegations very seriously and deal with victims sensitively, with professionalism and compassion.”

The report said: “As a consequence of Operation Yewtree, there has been a significant increase in reporting of such offences nationally, and numbers of recorded rapes have increased by 87 per cent between the end of October 2012 and March 2015.”