UK NEWS

COURTS FAILING RAPE VICTIMS, SAYS LAW CHIEF

RAPE CONCERN: Parliament to act

Saturday June 14,2008

By Paul Gilbride Scottish Political Reporter

SCOTLAND’S top law officer yesterday criticised the rape conviction rate as “clearly too low”.

Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini spoke out as an expert group on sex crimes met for the first time.

Figures for 2006-07 showed that just 2.9 per cent of rape cases reported to police resulted in a conviction.

Next week the Scottish Government will publish draft legislation dealing with sexual offences.

The sex crime group set up by Miss Angiolini brings together prosecutors, chief police officers and Rape Crisis Scotland, to consider how sex crimes should be investigated and prosecuted. Miss Angiolini said: “The conviction rate for rape remains a cause for concern, it is clearly too low.

“I am committed to ensuring that the prosecution service remains at the heart of reform in this area, for the long term.

“That is why I have established this expert advisory group to have an ongoing role in scrutinising policy and practice, making sure that prosecutors across Scotland benefit from the best expertise available.” Sandy Brindley, co-ordinator of Rape Crisis Scotland, said: “To truly improve conviction rates there needs to be a fundamental shift in attitudes which blame women.”

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill last night said: “I will shortly be bringing a Bill to Parliament to strengthen the law on rape and other sexual offences, while the police and prosecution services have been undertaking a significant amount of work to ensure that cases are investigated and prepared for trial to the highest standards.

“At the same time, the public awareness campaign being developed by Rape Crisis Scotland, with support from us, will aim to achieve cultural change by challenging societal attitudes that too readily attach blame to the victims of rape in circumstances in which the law does not.”