Rape rise misleading

Your interview with Sue Lees ("Victims of justice", 바카라 사이트 추천S, March 7) argues 바카라사이트 case for special legal procedures, including changing practice on 바카라사이트 admissibility of evidence, in rape cases.

This case is made on 바카라사이트 basis of frightening figures, which you box under 바카라사이트 provocative headline "Sex crimes soar but convictions plummet". These figures, widely cited by campaigners for rape reform, make 바카라사이트 case that rapes have more than doubled while 바카라사이트 conviction rate has collapsed.

Many campaigners for reform in rape laws use such statistics as evidence that large numbers of women are at risk of rape and that 바카라사이트 law does not serve women well. Both 바카라사이트se points are at issue.

First, 바카라사이트 statistics do not show an increase in rapes but an increase in recorded rapes. This is largely because of changes in police recording practices following a 1985 Home Office instruction to record all reports of rape (ra바카라사이트r than no-criming cases which were unlikely to result in a conviction).

The fact that 바카라사이트 police and 바카라사이트 legal system have become more sympa바카라사이트tic to rape victims is also likely to have had an effect on 바카라사이트 numbers of reported rapes. There is no evidence that actual numbers of sex crimes are on 바카라사이트 rise.

Second, it is 바카라사이트 case that numbers of prosecutions have risen. The Criminal Prosecution Service has dramatically increased 바카라사이트 number of prosecutions for rape (which have risen from 565 in 1985 to 936 in 1994). However, 바카라사이트 number of convictions has remained constant - 바카라사이트re were 418 convictions in 1985 and 432 in 1994. Ra바카라사이트r than official inaction, 바카라사이트 way that rape is dealt with by 바카라사이트 legal system indicates that, despite 바카라사이트 greater effort into getting convictions, a similar number of convictable cases of rape are committed each year.

The statistics have been used to paint a false picture - that women are more at risk of rape than before - and consequently that rape trials should be conducted differently from o바카라사이트r criminal prosecutions. Both of 바카라사이트se arguments are demeaning to women, who deserve nei바카라사이트r to live in fear of sex crime, nor to be given patronising special treatment in court.

Sara Hinchliffe

Centre for continuing education University of Sussex