A damning new report has uncovered a catastrophic collapse in the number of rape cases being pursued in England and Wales, painting a picture of a justice system in crisis. Shockingly, the number of rape cases charged by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has plummeted by a staggering 44% in just one year.
Even more alarmingly, a record number of victims are now withdrawing from active investigations. Disturbing data shows that in the last year alone, a record 6,735 victims dropped out of cases before a suspect could even be charged. This represents a shocking 68% of all cases that were closed by the CPS.
A System Failing Victims
The figures point to a systemic failure. Charities and advocacy groups are sounding the alarm, blaming the exodus on two critical factors: invasive demands for personal evidence and excruciatingly long delays in the court process. Victims are being asked to hand over vast amounts of personal data, including therapy notes, school records, and complete mobile phone downloads, a process that feels like a "digital strip search."
These delays are compounded by a massive court backlog, leaving victims in a state of limbo for years, a wait described as a "second ordeal."
Broken Promises and a Glimmer of Hope
This crisis emerges despite the government's own Rape Review in 2021, which pledged to restore rape prosecutions to 2016 levels. While the CPS highlights a recent 10% rise in the number of suspects charged for rape, this minor increase comes from a historically low base and is utterly overshadowed by the sheer volume of cases being abandoned.
The CPS maintains it is "working hard to deliver justice" and is focused on increasing the number of cases going to court. However, with victims feeling re-traumatised by the very system meant to protect them, the road to recovery for public trust appears long and fraught.
