Every police force to have specialist rape investigation unit – but not until 2029
Campaigners say it is ‘not acceptable’ that victims will be left with an inconsistent response until 2029
Specialist rape and sex offences investigation teams will be established at every police force by 2029, the government has announced.
Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, said tools and tactics used to catch abusers are outdated and must be replaced by dedicated teams at all 43 forces in England and Wales.
Almost 30 forces already have a dedicated rape and serious sexual offence unit, The Independent understands. However, every force will not have one until 2029, the Home Office admitted.
Campaigners have said the delays are not acceptable and will leave survivors with an inconsistent response when they come forward.
The announcement, billed as the “largest crackdown on violence perpetrated against women and girls in British history” also includes a nationwide rollout of domestic abuse protection orders, which have been trialled over the last year.
The reforms are set to be part of the long-awaited Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy, due to be unveiled next week.
Ministers have pledged to halve VAWG in the next decade but have faced criticism over delays to publishing their plans.
On Tuesday, chairs of the home affairs committee, justice committee and women and equalities committee wrote to ministers over concerns from VAWG groups, warning that the delay is creating “significant uncertainty” across the sector and sending a message VAWG is “not a government priority”.
Announcing the latest measures, Ms Mahmood, said: “This government has declared violence against women and girls a national emergency.
“For too long, these crimes have been considered a fact of life. That’s not good enough.
“We will halve it in a decade. Today, we announce a range of measures to bear down on abusers, stopping them in their tracks.
“Rapists, sex offenders and abusers will have nowhere to hide.”
Domestic abuse protection orders can impose conditions to help protect victims from domestic abuse, including coercive behaviour, stalking and so-called honour-based violence.
Conditions can include mandatory curfews, electronic tagging, exclusion zones and notification requirements on abusers, with offenders who break orders facing up to five years in jail.
Nearly £2m will also be invested in a network of officers to target violence against women and girls online, the Home Office said.
It is expected to build on the success of an undercover network on child sexual abuse, which has resulted in over 1,700 perpetrators being arrested.
Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, welcomed the reforms but urged police forces to prioritise them without delay.
“All survivors deserve care, support and sensitivity when they take the courageous step to report what happened to them to the police, and to see their case investigated properly and thoroughly for the greatest chance of accessing justice,” she added.
“However, we are concerned that this may not be fully in place until 2029. In the meantime, survivors may often receive an inconsistent response depending on the force area they live in. This is not acceptable.
“Victims of rape are facing enormous challenges in the criminal justice system, with lengthier delays to their cases than any other crime type. We urge police forces to prioritise implementation of these reforms without delay.”
Under Rishi Sunak’s conservative government, the Home Office announced last year that they were rolling out Operation Soteria nationwide, a program which has helped police and prosecutors work more closely together when investigating rape and sexual offences.
Ms Mahmood has previously hinted she is considering major reforms which could drastically reduce the number of police forces in England and Wales.