| answer text |
<p>All allegations of rape and sexual assault will be thoroughly investigated by either
the civil or Service police, depending upon who has jurisdiction. The following table
provides details of the number of allegations of rape and sexual assault made within
the chain of command against members of the Armed Forces in each of the last four
years as recorded by the Service Police. Reference to rape covers offences under section
one and sexual assault covers offences under sections two and three of the Sexual
Offences Act 2003.</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Sexual Offence</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total
Allegations in 2010</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total Allegations in 2011</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total
Allegations in 2012</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total Allegations in 2013</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Rape</p></td><td><p>23</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>22</p></td><td><p>25</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sexual
Assault</p></td><td><p>70</p></td><td><p>77</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>60</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>The following table provides details of the number of referrals to the Service
Prosecuting Authority (SPA) in each of the last four years, the number directed for
trial and the number of convictions in the Military Court Service.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td>
</td><td><p><strong>2010</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Rape
Case Referrals</strong></p></td><td><p>21</p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>22</p></td><td><p>20</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Directed
for Trial</strong></p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Convictions</strong></p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>0<sup>1</sup></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Sexual
Assault Case Referrals</strong></p></td><td><p>51</p></td><td><p>70</p></td><td><p>31</p></td><td><p>45</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Directed
for Trial </strong></p></td><td><p>27</p></td><td><p>35</p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>23</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Convictions</strong></p></td><td><p>23</p></td><td><p>31</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>7<sup>2</sup></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p><sup>1</sup>Seven further cases are currently on trial.</p><p><sup>2</sup>
11 Trials ongoing</p><p> </p><p>The SPA may receive referrals in one year and the
cases are directed/not directed and/or tried in the following year, so there is no
direct correlation to the number of cases brought in any one year.</p><p> </p><p>
</p><p>I should also like to take the opportunity to clarify the relationship between
the figures provided in this answer, and earlier answers. The figures for sexual assaults
in this answer are different to those provided by the then Minister for Defence Personnel,
Welfare and Veterans (Andrew Robathan) on 6 July 2012 (Official Report, column 822W)
in response to a question from the hon. Member for Bridgend (Mrs Moon), for sexual
assault referrals in the years between 2010 and 2012 (although 2012 was only for part
of the year). This is because the term sexual assault has been expanded to cover the
offences of indecent assault and sexual activity with a child. In addition, the figures
provided in a response given by my predecessor (Mark Francois) on 30 November 2012
(Official Report, column 555W) again to the hon. Member for Bridgend (Mrs Moon) referred
only to the number of cases where the victim was a member of the Armed Forces. The
figures in the tables above cover all cases handled by the SPA, whether or not the
victim was a member of the Armed Forces.</p>
|
|
