Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice
Public inquiry into the drop in prosecutions for rape and other sexual offences
Closed
634 signatures
What the petition asks
Examine:
- the number, handling and outcomes of all sexual offences reported to the police
- evidence of the number of offences not reported to the police and why they are not
- why serious offences are not always being referred for Early Investigative Advice from the Crown Prosecution Service.
- the number, handling and outcomes of all sexual offences reported to the police
- evidence of the number of offences not reported to the police and why they are not
- why serious offences are not always being referred for Early Investigative Advice from the Crown Prosecution Service.
The shocking decline in the number of rape and other sexual offence prosecutions is a National Emergency. Convictions too often result in lenient punishments. Confidence in the police and process from many victims is particularly low. For the number of rapes and sexual offences reported, larger numbers are not reported in part due to lack of confidence in the police and justice system. Unless CPS referral has been made, a victim's right to review request is considered by another police officer of the same force, albeit one who is independent of the case. This is a concern for victims.
Timeline
| 28 Apr 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 28 Oct 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
634
Status
Closed
Department
Ministry of Justice
Opened
28 Apr 2021
Closed
28 Oct 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.