Stephen Morgan MP questioned Ministers in the House of Commons this week on the latest figures showing that just 1.5% of reported rapes result in a charge or summons. This is despite reports to police being at record highs.
Speaking up for victims in Portsmouth and across the country, the Portsmouth MP asked: ‘Only 1.5 per cent of recorded rapes resulted in a charge, compared to 5.4 per cent for all other crimes. Does the Minister accept responsibility for this, and for so badly letting down victims?’
Under the Tories, in the minority of rape cases that are prosecuted, victims face more than 1,000 days’ delay from the initial report of an offence to completion in court.
In addition, in 2022, sexual offences were the offence type most likely to have not yet been assigned an outcome at the year-end.
The Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South, Stephen Morgan, said:
“The Conservative government is failing women and girls on every front. Rape victims are abandoning their trials due to delays the government created, and we continue to see a downward spiral in charging, prosecution, and convictions for domestic abusers.
“A Labour Government will put victims back at the heart of the justice system.
“In government, Labour will roll out specialist rape courts to speed up justice for victims and provide them with support, as well as introduce minimum sentences of 7 years for rape to help protect survivors.
You can view Stephen’s question and the Minister response here.
