A coalition of leading charities and a law firm has launched an unprecedented super-complaint against police forces, exposing a scandal where over 37,000 victims of sexual offences have been left waiting for more than three years for their cases to be investigated.
The action, lodged on 16 December 2025 by Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre (CRCC), Centre for Women's Justice (CWJ), Rape Crisis England & Wales (RCEW) and Bindmans LLP, reveals that more than half of these protracted investigations have dragged on for longer than four years. In the most extreme cases, victims have been left in limbo for over nine years without a charging decision, leaving suspects free in the community.
Systemic Failures and Hidden Statistics
The organisations argue that these extremely protracted investigations have become inhumane and untenable for survivors. They warn that police forces may be legally liable, as the excessive delays could breach the UK's obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Research underpinning the complaint uncovers a worrying six-fold increase (652%) over the last decade in sexual offence cases taking more than three years to investigate. As of the end of March 2025, nearly 14,000 investigations exceeding three years were still ongoing.
The super-complaint raises serious concerns about police monitoring of timeliness and suggests that official government statistics are misleading, effectively hiding very long cases from public view in crime data.
Impact on Survivors and Justice
A survey of survivors caught in these delays found that over two-thirds were uncertain if they would ever report to police again. The charities highlight that lengthy police investigations, compounded by the Crown Court backlog, mean reporting rape has become a re-traumatising process that no longer resembles a functioning justice system.
Ellie Ball, ISVA Manager at Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre (CRCC), stated: "These survivors report to the police in good faith, only to have their cases repeatedly de-prioritised... It prevents survivors from moving forward with their lives and leaves many with a deep sense of mistrust."
Nogah Ofer of the Centre for Women's Justice (CWJ) added: "We are now revealing the true picture for thousands of survivors... and we urge the policing bodies to take prompt action to address this unacceptable situation."
Calls for Immediate Action
The organisations are calling for an immediate audit by all police forces to identify how many survivors' cases are effectively stuck in the system. They point out that suspects of serious sexual offences are going effectively unpoliced for years after being reported.
Maxime Rowson of Rape Crisis England & Wales (RCEW) expressed grave concern: "Prolonged delays risk breaching the state's duties... and in some cases, prevent justice altogether, as survivors withdraw, memories fade, and perpetrators pass away before trial."
India Cooper, Solicitor at Bindmans LLP, emphasised: "When survivors are left waiting many years for justice, their trauma is prolonged and their safety is undermined. Survivors deserve thorough and effective investigations, not silence and delay."
The National Police Chiefs' Council, when approached for comment, stated it was not in a position to provide a response at this time.
