BRITAIN'S RAPE CRISIS

Former police officer and specialist trained rape officer Nina Hobson investigates how the criminal justice system is continuing to fail victims of rape, at every stage of the process.

Friday 11th August7.30pm
Monday 14th August 4.40am

Britain's Rape Crisis In this 30 Minutes investigation, former police officer and specialist trained rape officer Nina Hobson reveals how the criminal justice system is continuing to fail victims of rape, at every stage of the process. Rates of reported rape and sexual violence against women are on the rise, with the number of reported rapes having doubled since 1997. Yet less than a quarter of reported rapes result in the suspect being charged, and only just over 1 in 20 result in a conviction. Nina, who secretly filmed Leicestershire Constabulary for Dispatches: Undercover Copper, examines how rape victims are treated at every stage of the criminal justice process. From the initial reporting of a rape to the police, through to the conclusion of the court process, she discovers a postcode lottery of initial forensic and medical care for rape victims and no national standard for the number of specialist trained police officers dealing with sexual violence. With many victims too scared to embark upon the court process, Nina also lays bare the myths and misconceptions about rape held by juries that need to be challenged if more rapists are to end up behind bars. The Government acknowledges the conviction rate for rape is unacceptably low, Mike O’Brien, the Solicitor General tells Nina: “…There are a lot of rapists out there who are getting away with it and many of them are repeat rapists and therefore we need to address that.” But despite recent legislation and new initiatives designed to give victims more say, Nina finds a system that is failing to deliver justice for rape victims.