Nearly two-thirds of London rape victims who drop their complaint do so within a month of going to police, with the proportion tripling in two years, according to a report.
Claire Waxman, London’s independent victims’ commissioner, revealed research warning that victims, predominately women, are being belittled and deterred from pursuing justice.
Among those who allege rape or sexual assault to police, 65% dropped out, up 7% compared with the last survey covering the capital two years ago.
An allegation that a crime was committed is not proof that a crime was committed.
It is an indication that a certain amount of investigation should be undertaken to determine whether a crime was committed. This is true of any crime. “‘Ee nicked my purse!” might be first met with a “Did you check your handbag, no the other ones?” and that might be the solution. “He raped me” is an allegation. Questioning might include – given the English definition of the crime – “Did his (or her) penis enter your vagina, anus or mouth?”.
Agreed, few allegations are likely to fail the legal test at that point as England’s young women are rarely that stupid. But it is possible that some might.
D’ye see the logical point there? An allegation that a rape took place is not the same as proof that a rape took place – and therefore those who allege are not, as yet, victims of the crime of rape.
We can all also agree that they should be treated as such while the investigations are made. But those investigations do have to be made and it simply is not true to record, as here, all those who allege as being victims.
’ D’ye see the logical point there?’
Of course we all see it. And so does the victim commissioner – but it suits her to pretend otherwise.
And it suits journalists and broadcasters to aid her in this.
Hence, we’re doomed. The long slow slide into obscurity begins.
Wonder how much of her time she spends on alleged crimes against women versus all crime?
Its evidence of a wave of false rape allegations, thats what it is. Woman gets ignored the next day by some random she’s opened her legs for on a drunken Saturday night out, decides she’s been raped. Mouths off to all her girly friends, who take it at face value and push her to report such a heinous crime. Does so. Things start moving and investigations begin to show that she’d quite happily been all over the accused, plus sending him messages afterwards demanding to see him again etc etc. Faced with the evidence she’s lying the allegation then gets withdrawn. Chalk up another one for the alleged tsunami of unprosecuted rape…….
PS are you trying to kill your website with all this comment moderation? The only reason I come here is for the comments, if no-one can respond to another comment because they’re all getting disappeared into moderation and only seen in chunks when someone bothers to check them then you might as well give up, we’re not here to read snippets from the online Telegraph.
Hmmmm!! So everything a woman says is true. How interesting.
I’d also note, that even if the police handle these cases with the utmost compassion & discretion, some (perhaps many) women will drop charges because a trail will not be pleasant. And of course, some cases will not be provable, and some will not be legitimate.
No, trying to correct teh spam trap.
Interestingly, today we read that “students” (meaning a few of them) are demanding the resignation of Dame Helen Ghosh from Balliol College for referring to the alleged victim of a sexual assault as, well, the ALLEGED victim.
No direct experience in this but I would imagine that in cases where it`s the womans word against the bloke with no other supporting evidence, then the only thing a jury might have to go on is the past sexual histories of those involved. Plenty of women with an enormous body count behind them who may not want that exposed in open court.
I imagine many of the dropped cases result from the frankness of police officers counselling the lady in question, in the sense that the force will stand behind you and invest time, money and effort investigating your allegation. But it won’t be pretty and you will need to be a braver soul than most of us to see it through – would hate to commit so much of our limited resources if you are going to bottle it when the going gets rough. While we are obliged to believe your story, let’s begin with you handing over your phone so that we can trawl through it and determine what sort of woman we’re dealing with.
I’m enjoying using the ‘believe the woman’ argument on those who think Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe deserves special consideration from the Foreign Office as a dual UK-Iranian national.
She was asked her nationality on entry to Iran. She said Iranian and presented her Iranian passport.
Ergo I believe she is an Iranian national, and sad case as it is, does not deserve special consideration from UK.
Rule 1 – The woman is always right.
Rule 2 – When the woman is wrong/lying, rule 1 applies.
Why can’t the Police, the courts, and society in general, see this?
@Ironman: is that the Dame Helen Ghosh who wreaked havoc in various sections of the civil service?
Oh dear how sad never mind.
Rape is an evil and sickening crime. I hate rapists.
Rapists should be locked up for life.
I have friends who have had their drinks spiked. There are loads of evil sick men who like to rape innocent good women.
We need to lock up all rapists for life.
RAPE IS AN EVIL CRIME.
People with illegal rape drugs in their possession should be locked up for life.
I am a man. I hate rapists. They are the scum of the Earth.
There are evil men and evil women who support rapists. Supporters of rapists are as evil as rapists.
Rape is an evil crime that wrecks lives.
All rapists should be licked up for life.
I know of female friends whose drinks have been spiked by evil creeps.
If you have illegal rape drugs you should be locked up for life.