Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to encourage public confidence in the willingness of police forces to respond sympathetically and proactively to victims of serious sexual assault.

The Home Office is committed to tackling sexual violence. We want every report to be treated seriously from the point of disclosure, every victim to be treated with dignity and every investigation and every prosecution to be
conducted thoroughly and professionally. We have supported the publication of data on rape for every police force in the country as a basis for improving recording and investigations of rape, and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of
Constabulary have inspected the recording of rape as part of a wider crime recording audit. We expect forces to respond positively to the recommendations.

The new Rape Action Plan, led by the Crown Prosecution Service and the National Policing Lead for Rape, will aid the government’s drive to ensure that every report is treated seriously and every victim is given the help they deserve. We
continue to work with the police to look at ways to improve police investigations of rape and sexual assault and to ensure that their guidance on investigating and prosecuting is implemented in every police force area.

Although rape and sexual assault remain under-reported crimes, reporting rates are rising. It is therefore encouraging that more victims now have the confidence to report to the police.