Damning figures reveal how few reported rapes in Croydon end in convictions
Lucy Buckland
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ONLY 13 per cent of all reported rapes in Croydon end up with a criminal conviction, damning new figures reveal.
Statistics also show charges were only brought against 25 per cent of alleged attackers.
But the figures obtained by the Advertiser through a Freedom of Information request show Croydon police are pushing for a prosecution in more than half of all reported cases – a vast improvement on previous years.
From May last year to June this year Croydon police received 167 reports of rape, and submitted 94 of those cases to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
But only 21 of them ended up with the person who was accused of the attack getting a criminal record.
After seeing the figures, Yvonne Traynor, chief executive of the Croydon Rape Crisis Centre, said: "It's a bit damning but the police have improved incredibly in the way they deal with rape cases and rape survivors."
Last year the Advertiser revealed that only 16 per cent of reported rapes in Croydon were ending up in a conviction.
Ms Traynor said: "The fact more cases are being passed to the CPS to consider is very welcoming but these figures are still pretty bleak.
"The police have improved dramatically in the way they handle rape, they have really learnt lessons from previous high profile cases such as (cab driver) John Worboys (who was convicted of a series of rapes last year).
"We have come a long way from a desk sergeant being given a stint on the sexual offences unit. Now rape is taken more seriously in the police force."
Ms Traynor believes the only way to improve the number of rapists being brought to justice is to educate the public.
She explained: "Juries don't understand rape and more people are getting acquitted because people think rape is a stranger jumping out of a bush.
"But it can be your uncle, your teacher, a person you met on the internet.
"People on juries always have that doubt, because they read about the very small amount of false allegations, they are always thinking there could be that element of untruth."
The Advertiser asked Croydon police for an interview with a senior officer from the Operation Sapphire rape investigation team, but this request was declined.
A statement from the Met Police said that major improvements have been made in the way it deals with rape victims.
The statement read: "Not all victims of sexual offences desire a criminal justice outcome, nor is it possible to secure the level of evidence required for many cases to proceed to court.
"From 2010 and 2011, victim satisfaction with how they were treated by officers will form a key performance target.
"We have learned lessons from the John Worboys case and made a number of changes to the way we investigate allegations of rape and sexual assault."
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by misterkipling, Croydon
Friday, August 06 2010, 8:58PM
“Sounds like theres never been a better time to be a Rapist”
by Sarah, Surrey
Monday, August 02 2010, 6:43PM
“I know from personal experience that the Sapphire Unit is a complete shambles. They do not even call victims back to let them know what is happening with the case. Complete waste of time, money and resources.
I'm disgusted at how they treat victims of Rape & Sexual Assault, it is one of the worst possible things that can happen to a person, yet the Police are so easy to dismiss a report. I don't think it's fair they pick and choose the 'best cases', anyone affected by rape and/or sexual assault needs support and to be believed, that is simply not the case. Thousands of women (and men!) are raped everyday and not everyone comes forward because of the way the police treat victims. It's no comfort to victims knowing they have to go through so much before an arrest is even made, and then very little is done afterwards. Anyone who has not been through it would not understand. Being raped or sexually assaulted in a deeply traumatic experience and then to have to go through demoralising physical exams and STI tests and describe everything in the littlest detail to police officers is like re-living the experience all over again. The whole system on how sexual crimes are processed needs a good shake up and new rules need to be set to help work in the victims favour for a change, rather than the perpetrator- the sapphire unit needs a massive shake-up, if not closing down.”
by jess, new addington
Saturday, July 31 2010, 10:49AM
“Anne's right Test Man, too complicated to explain. Of course anyone should be able to say no, men and women. My point was that these situations are not always black and white and when it's one person's word against another then obviously the jury is going to consider the behaviour of the individual. Not always fair maybe, but neither is naming accused men before conviction. the whole law needs a good shake up so that there is justice for the genuine cases.”
by ANNE, SELSDON
Friday, July 30 2010, 5:56PM
“Too complicated to explain, really. Low self esteem plays a part as well. Sometimes it's easier to do what the other person wants.”
by Test Man, London
Friday, July 30 2010, 1:23PM
“Jess and Anne, of course I wouldn't begin to know exactly what happened that made it your fault, but surely even if you got into a situation, you could have simply said "no"? Never mind how you got into the situation, you shouldn't have to go through it if you didn't want to?”
by Mike, Ex Croydon
Thursday, July 29 2010, 3:36PM
“Mark
It is clear the recruitment has been affected by quotas for a number of years now.”
by ANNE, SELSDON
Thursday, July 29 2010, 2:30PM
“Jess - how right you are. I was in a similar situation years ago. Entirely my fault.”
by Mark, Croydon
Thursday, July 29 2010, 10:19AM
“Mike - I appreciate what you are saying, but it is not exactly what you were coming across as in previous post, you were indicating that the "Service" as a whole was incomepentent which is unfair. There are personnel in all walks of life that are not up to scratch but somehow slip through the net. The overiding majority of our police officers are wholly proffesional who can be trusted to take the correct actions at the initial scene of a crime. Rape is a different kettle of fish, more often than not it involves numerous crime scenes and are generally historic, with false allegations rife.
One of the problems with our Police "Service" is that the likes of Liberty and other do good associations have worked their magic. Recruitment has been such in recent years that the Recruiters have been more worried about recruiting a black/asian/muslim/female/ex male/gay potential officer who is not and will never be at the required standard to be a Police Officer than recruiting a White Male Hetrosexual who has all the hallmarks of a top class Officer.”
by jess, new addington
Thursday, July 29 2010, 10:11AM
“I have to agree with Enoch up to a point, and I'm sorry but I know that this view is unpopular with many women today. Many years ago I found myself in a position where I had sex with someone I really didn't want to. It was my fault! No I wasn't drunk or had been taking drugs, I just got into a very difficult situation entirely by my own stupidity. Was I raped? no, was this man a rapist? no. I was simply a stupid young girl. Nowadays it would be seen as date rape and it doesn't help the CPS when they are faced with trying to deal with many very serious genuine cases to have such cases presented to them when it is entirely down to the behaviour of the individual. I'm sure the police do their best in helping genuine victims, but we all have to take responsibility for our own actions, women as well as men.”
by Mike, Ex Croydon
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 6:26PM
“Mark
I know a lot about the competency of the Police "Service" and the fact that the first officer on the scene can make all the difference to how well an enquiry goes and some officers are not up to the job.I admit any serious offence takes up a lot of man hours but a good officer will make the job of the investigating officers a lot simpler.
And when senior officers choose to ignore request for interviews it is because they feel that they may have difficulty answering the questions they a likely to be asked.”