Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland, acknowledged ‘systemic failings’ in the system had let victims of rape and sexual assault down. The two-year review, whose conclusions were published last week, found that only 3% of rape reports recorded by the police resulted in a charge or summons.
The action plan includes using scorecards to monitor the performance of criminal justice agencies and asking the Law Commission to tackle myths about rape and look into the use of victims’ sexual histories during evidence.
Derek Sweeting QC, Chair, Bar Council, said: ‘The investigation and prosecution of allegations of rape has been crying out for reform.
‘But without better funding for every part of the criminal justice system which deals with these cases, the government’s ambitious action plan will fail.’
