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<p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number
of victims who have withdrawn support for a prosecution or the number of cases the
CPS has then subsequently decided not to proceed with. This information could only
be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p>However,
while the CPS does not collect data on the number of victims who withdraw support
for the prosecution, or cases which do not proceed following the withdrawal of such
support, information is available to show the overall number of pre-charge decisions
where a decision not to prosecute was made and unsuccessful prosecution outcomes that
were flagged as rape. These outcomes can be disaggregated to show the volume and proportion
that were due to victim issues, including retraction, where it was inappropriate to
compel the victim, non-attendance at trial or where the evidence given did not come
up to proof.</p><p>The CPS monitoring of cases involving offences of rape involves
the application of a rape ‘flag’ to applicable cases that are recorded on the CPS’
electronic Case Management System (CMS). The CPS definition of rape covers any case
where the following offences were considered pre-charge or were subsequently charged:</p><ul><li>Rape:
Section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956</li><li>Sexual intercourse with a girl under
the age of 13: Section 5 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956</li><li>Rape: Section 1 of
the Sexual Offences Act 2003</li><li>Rape of a child under 13: Section 5 of the Sexual
Offences Act 2003</li><li>Sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder impeding
choice: Section 30(3) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003</li><li>An attempt to commit
any of the above offences under the Criminal Attempts Act 1981</li><li>Incitement
or conspiracy to commit any of the above offences.</li></ul><p>The table below shows
the volume and proportion of decisions not to prosecute due to victim issues in cases
flagged as rape during each of the last seven available years.</p><table><tbody><tr><td
colspan="2"><p><strong>Victim Issues</strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>No
Prosecution</strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Charged</strong></p></td><td
rowspan="2"><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Volume</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Volume</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Volume</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>%</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2009-2010</strong></p></td><td><p>291</p></td><td><p>3.8%</p></td><td><p>4,165</p></td><td><p>54.2%</p></td><td><p>3,232</p></td><td><p>42.1%</p></td><td><p><strong>7,683</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2010-2011</strong></p></td><td><p>299</p></td><td><p>3.7%</p></td><td><p>4,339</p></td><td><p>53.4%</p></td><td><p>3,387</p></td><td><p>41.7%</p></td><td><p><strong>8,130</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2011-2012</strong></p></td><td><p>190</p></td><td><p>2.8%</p></td><td><p>3,281</p></td><td><p>48.1%</p></td><td><p>3,213</p></td><td><p>47.1%</p></td><td><p><strong>6,822</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2012-2013</strong></p></td><td><p>113</p></td><td><p>2.1%</p></td><td><p>2,195</p></td><td><p>40.6%</p></td><td><p>2,889</p></td><td><p>53.5%</p></td><td><p><strong>5,404</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2013-2014</strong></p></td><td><p>158</p></td><td><p>2.7%</p></td><td><p>1,857</p></td><td><p>31.7%</p></td><td><p>3,621</p></td><td><p>61.9%</p></td><td><p><strong>5,850</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2014-2015</strong></p></td><td><p>189</p></td><td><p>3.1%</p></td><td><p>1,997</p></td><td><p>32.4%</p></td><td><p>3,648</p></td><td><p>59.2%</p></td><td><p><strong>6,159</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2015-2016</strong></p></td><td><p>181</p></td><td><p>2.6%</p></td><td><p>2,271</p></td><td><p>33.1%</p></td><td><p>3,910</p></td><td><p>57.0%</p></td><td><p><strong>6,855</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td
colspan="4"><p>Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Victim
issues include cases where the victim is called as a witness in a trial, but fails
to attend court; where the evidence of the victim supports the prosecution case but
the victim refuses to be called as a witness, or retracts, or withdraws a complaint;
and where the evidence of the victim does not support the prosecution of the defendant,
leading to an unsuccessful outcome, but the victim however, has not retracted.</p><p>The
CPS will shortly be publishing its annual Violence Against Women and Girls Report
for 2016-17 which will provide the most up to date assessment of rape flagged prosecutions
including the key reasons for unsuccessful prosecutions.</p><p> </p>
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