Rape victims should be offered more support
According to a a review of rape services throughout England, there is a need for increased services and support for victims, reported BBC News.
Lady Stern, a prisons reform officer, authored the review and was commissioned by ministers to assess how police, prosecutors and other bodies involved, dealt with rape cases.
The study was undertaken over a five month period, throughout which Lady Stern spoke to more than 200 people, including rape victims and police officers.
She reported police and prosecutors losing interest in victims whose complaint was unlikely to lead to a conviction and recommended that new approach be adopted when dealing with victims, regardless of how the investigation might end.
She has said that support for victims and convictions should be on par as priority’s. Lisa Longstaff from campaign group Women Against Rape seems to disagree, saying police must focus on obtaining justice and are not there to care.
A recommendation from the report stated that a network of advisors should be available to support the victim when he or she comes forward and they would be there to explain procedures and provide a link between the victim and the police.
If you have been the victim of sexual violence or abuse and would like to talk to someone then please visit www.rapecrisis.org.uk, where you can find information on local helplines and crisis centres. If you would like to talk to a counsellor about your experience then you can do so using the homepage of this site.
Tags: rape, sexual abuse