It's 2008 and the police have only just decided they need 'Specialist Rape Squads': Will it make a difference?

Question

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7496013.stm

The article states that only 15% of rapes are reported and a mere 5.7% of those reported lead to a conviction - I think that is a tragic reflection of the way women, who are victims of rape, are perceived and treated in today's society.

Criminal defence lawyers are adept at getting their clients off - why aren't the prosecutors as adept at securing a conviction?

Your views please and I would appreciate serious, rather than flippant answers.

Answer 1

Victims are discouraged from reporting rape because of the appalling conviction rate of rapists. Women who cry rape have not helped either.

Victims have to go through so much for the police to obtain evidence its like being violated all over again. And then again in court the defence will bring up the slightest thing to discredit the victim and make them look like they were 'asking for it'

It takes a brave person to go through with a prosecution, it's no surprise so few cases are reported.

I hope specialist rape squads will make a difference, but somehow I doubt it.

Answer 2

Ireland. Not unless the judges get real and stop handing down sentences of as little as two and three years for CONVICTED rapists and in a lot of cases with the last year suspended.

Answer 3

Ask the women who falsly cry rape what theyve done to help the situation.

Is it any wonder conviction rates are so low when you have women running around screaming rape everytime they wake up the next morning 'regretting' what they did.

Answer 4

That it has taken all this time for women to get help is nothing short of criminal. Up until fairly recently in the eyes of the law women who reported rape were seen as second class. Many women did not and still do not report rape because fear of the repercussions, fear of being thought it was your fault, fear that no one will believe you. and that the man will not get a sufficient jail time, or indeed any jail time, as so often is the case.

Answer 5

well its the system which needs changing,as its to difficult for the rape cases to get to court,its the witness thing,having to give evidence again,usually having to re live there ordeal usually in open court,in front of the monsters who raped them,until they sort all that out,no diffrence will be made,and the lawyers etc,its a difficult thing to prove,as if the guilty person pleads not guilty,it has to go to trial,open court etc,some wittnesses will just not go through with it again,usually whilst being mocked openly,feeling beliitled,thats what i think anyway,the onus is on the crown to find guilt,beyond a reasonable doubt,hard to do,when sometimes you cant either remember clearly,or its your word against theres.defence,and prosecution,all work in the same chambers usually,therefore,all p.ss in the same pot.enough said.

Answer 6

I am concerned that the additional focus could lead to a "prosecutuion at all cost" mentallity.  

How convictions can be targeted is a mistery to me.  Surely the level of convictions depends soley on the guilt or inocence of the defendant.  To say we will get more prosecutuions would surely depend only on their being more guilty people.  A new department in a police force will not make people more guilty - but - in the push to be seen to prosecuting, more innocent people may be convicted or defendants may be assumed to be guilty until proven innocent.

Just because someone says there should be more convictions for rape does not mean that there are in fact more guilty rapists.

Answer 7

yes.