Increase in number of rapes reported

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AN increase in the number of rape offences in Cheshire is revealed in new figures released by HM Inspectorate of Constabularies (HMIC).
The increases – in both adult rape offences and child rape offences – indicate that victims now feel more confident to report incidents to police, according to Cheshire Police.
Assistant Chief Constable Ruth Purdie said: “Cheshire Police welcomes the publication of this data.
“We are committed to working with our partner agencies to support victims of rape and bring offenders to justice.
“We encourage anyone who has been a victim of rape to come forward with the assurance that we will take their report seriously and investigate it rigorously.”
The new figures cover the 12 months up to the end of last March.
They show there were 142 reports of adult rape, compared with 129 the previous year – or 16.9 per 100,000 population over 16.
There were 98 child rapes, compared with 87 the previous year – or 52.2 per 100,000 population.
Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Wenham of the Strategic Public Protection Unit said: “Cheshire Police has a dedicated rape unit which is made up of trained detectives who respond to and deal with all reported rapes. The unit works alongside a team of co-located specialist Crown Prosecution Service lawyers to develop strategies around cases and secure prosecutions.
“Cheshire Police works closely with St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre and the Rape and Serious Sexual Assault Support Service to ensure victims of rape receive the support they need during this traumatic time.
The HMIC figures showed that the detection rate in Cheshire was 14 per cent for adult rape and 22 per cent for child rape. However, more recent data, for the period of December 2012 to November 2013, shows that Cheshire Police officers have achieved a higher than average detection rate compared to other similar police forces.
Offences are classed as “detected” when a suspect is charged or summonsed to court.
The numbers also show that for both adult and child rape, Cheshire had a recorded crime rate that is in line with the average for England and Wales.
Following some reported rapes, information comes to light which indicates that no crime has taken place. Cheshire Police have rigorous systems in place to ensure that all decisions to reclassify or “no crime” a reported incident comply with national crime recording standards. The data showed that Cheshire is in line with the national average for instances such as this.
To report a rape or sexual assault, contact Cheshire Police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.


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