‘Transformational change’ to rape investigations as Operation Soteria extended to all 43 forces

Piloted by 19 police forces, the national operating model sets out an approach that is victim-centred, suspect-focused and context-led.

National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for rape and adult sexual offences, Chief Constable Sarah Crew, says it will “turn the research that we have gathered into tangible action and turn the tables on perpetrators, improve victims’ experience, secure more convictions, and protect the public”.

The programme brings together police and academics, using evidence and new insight to enable forces and prosecutors to transform their response to rape and serious sexual offences.

The Home Office says there have been early signs of improvements in the police force and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) areas already participating in the Operation Soteria programme.

All five pathfinder forces – Avon and Somerset, Metropolitan Police Service, South Wales, West Midlands and Durham – have seen an increase in the number of cases being referred to the CPS, more than doubling in West Midlands and Durham.

The number of cases being prosecuted by the CPS from Avon and Somerset have more than tripled, and all pathfinder forces have seen a reduction in the average days taken for a charge outcome to be assigned – with South Wales seeing a reduction of almost 300 days in the latest quarter.

Ms Crew said it was a “big moment to see all 43 forces adopting this transformational change to how we investigate rape and serious sexual offences”.

To further improve the response to rape, 2,000 extra police investigators will be specially trained in rape and sexual offences by April 2024. It will also be compulsory for new recruits to undertake rape and sexual offences training, which will also be rolled out to all existing first responders.

Remote sentencing hearings will also be offered to improve victims’ experience in court

A progress report two years on from the Government’s End to End Rape Review published on Monday shows it has already met two of the three “key ambitions” – restoring the number of police referrals and cases reaching court to 2016 levels – and is on track to exceed all three before the end of this parliament.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “As a society, too often we have failed the victims of sexual violence.

“I have been clear that we must transform the way these investigations are handled, to make sure that all victims have the best support possible throughout the entire process. This is a vital step in delivering on that promise.

“It will help ensure investigations focus on the suspect, and never on seeking to undermine the account of the victim, as well as placing the utmost importance on their rights and needs.”

She said the Rape Review progress report shows improvements have been made in response to rape across every stage of the criminal justice system and, crucially, data suggests more and more victims are reporting these abhorrent crimes to the police – demonstrating an increase in victim confidence.

Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Alex Chalk KC, said: “Rape and sexual violence are horrific crimes that can impact victims for the rest of their lives. That’s why we launched an action plan in the 2021 Rape Review to drive up prosecutions.

“We’ve made significant progress, hitting two of our Rape Review ambitions ahead of schedule, and there are more rape cases before the courts today than in 2010.

“Now we are going further, extending our action plan with more support for victims, encouraging survivors to come forward and see justice done.

The Home Office, NPCC and College of Policing will oversee the implementation of the new national model, and the Government says it will be consulting with police leaders on the effectiveness of dedicated rape investigation units in all police forces.

Ms Crew, said: “Rape is one of the most complex and challenging crimes the criminal justice system deals with. The roll-out of the national operating model is a huge step forward in how we investigate crime and the experience victims receive.

“While we know there is more to do, the national operating model will see all forces adopt new processes, guidance and training to enable more victims to get the justice they so deserve. In order to improve trust and confidence, we have to show victims we are making significant changes and getting results. Operation Soteria offers this.

“We have opened up our doors to academics and to scrutiny. This has not always been a comfortable process. However, it’s an essential step towards achieving our goal of comprehensive and transformational change.”

College of Policing chief executive officer, Chief Constable Andy Marsh, added: “I’m delighted to see Operation Soteria, first trialled when I was chief constable at Avon and Somerset Constabulary, being rolled out across the country.

“The College of Policing will be the gateway to all of the guidance, knowledge and best practice so it is easily accessible at any time day or night.

“By transforming our response to rape we can better stop those who commit these horrific crimes and help victims get the justice they deserve.”

Professors Katrin Hohl and Betsy Stanko OBE, joint academic leads of Operation Soteria, said: “The national operating model is an evidence-based solution to the seemly intractable problem of low charging rates and poor victim experiences in rape cases. Never before have academics, policing, and the CPS come together in this way.

“Together, and in close consultation with victims and the victim support sector, we have developed principles, guidance, toolkits and other practical materials to support officers to better investigate sexual offending behaviour and to better engage with victims in line with their rights and needs.

“We are hopeful that this could mark the beginning of a new era of criminal justice.”

Director of Public Prosecutions Max Hill KC said: it marks the latest milestone for the CPS in its journey to transform the way rape cases are investigated and prosecuted, learning from Operation Soteria.

“Over the past year, we have seen the volume of adult rape-flagged cases charged increase by 40 per cent and are on track to significantly increase the number of cases going to court year on year,” he said.

“We know we still have a long way to go to drive lasting change, and will continue to listen carefully to partners and victims as we go, but the work we have been doing through genuine partnership with police colleagues is bearing fruit.”

Victims Minister Ed Argar added: “Since 2019 we’ve almost doubled the number of suspects charged and the volume of convictions is up a third – meaning more rapists being put behind bars.

“We’ve introduced a round-the-clock rape support line and are quadrupling funding for victim support by 2025, but it’s vital we maintain this momentum and keep building on all the action we’ve taken so far.”

Emily Hunt, survivor and independent adviser to the Government on the Rape Review, said two years on it was “amazing to see what the beginning of success looks like”.

“Fundamentally, now more rapists are going to prison and victims are being better supported,” she said. “But it is not the time to stop – it is time to double down and really consider what we should be doing to build on these successes.”

Since the Rape Review was published the Government has taken a number of steps to provide better support for rape victims including:

• Launching a 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line so victims can speak to trained specialists whenever they need;
• Quadrupling funding for victim support services by 2025 compared with 2010 levels;
• Stopping unnecessary and intrusive requests for victims’ phones through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act and introducing new legislation through the Victims and Prisoners Bill so that therapy notes or other personal records are only accessed when necessary and proportionate to an investigation;
• Providing police and crime commissioners with dedicated ring-fenced funding for at least 900 independent sexual violence and domestic abuse advisers and funding for an additional 100 – bringing the total to more than 1,000 by 2025; and
• Driving down Crown Court backlogs so cases can be heard faster, lifting the cap on the number of days courts can sit, and recruiting 1,000 more judges.

The Home Office says these steps build on progress made on convictions, which are up 33 per cent on 2019 levels, while adult rape prosecutions are up four per cent on 2010.

The Victims and Prisoner Bill will also provide additional support for all victims, including rape, by giving ministers powers to direct the inspection of justice agencies, such as the police and courts, that are failing victims.

Attorney General Victoria Prentis KC said: “The aftermath of rape and serious sexual offences can last a lifetime, so I hope today’s announcement means victims feel they can report these sickening crimes with confidence.

“More cases are being referred and charged and thanks to better joined up working between police and prosecutors, more robust files are being built which can pass through the system more swiftly.

“Support measures to keep victims engaged are so much improved, but the momentum must continue right across the country.”

London’s Victims’ Commissioner Claire Waxman OBE said: “This is an important step forward that demonstrates radical change is possible in the criminal justice system to improve the response to victims, and I welcome the national rollout of Operation Soteria to transform how officers in all forces investigate rape and sexual offences.

“I was grateful to play a role in this project following my London Rape Reviews, which highlighted deteriorating rape conviction rates and victim withdrawal, and the need for radical overhaul of the justice system’s response to rape.

“The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime and I have been leading the way in reforming victims’ justice journeys.

“The findings from the Met and four other forces visited by the Soteria team last year lay bare the extent of the issues that needed urgently tackling if we want to improve rape prosecutions. I welcome the establishment of a new unit to oversee the deep-rooted and systemic changes needed in implementing this new model, that is key to driving progress so that all victims have confidence that they will be supported and able to access the justice they deserve.”

The Government says it completed more than 150 published Rape Review actions over the past two years, including:

• Giving more victims the option to hear their attacker being sentenced away from a courtroom – avoiding seeing their attacker face-to-face. This brings sentencing in line with measures already brought in which allow victims to provide evidence remotely;
• Recommissioning the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund (RASASF) providing £21 million over 2023/24 to specialist support services for rape and sexual abuse victims across England and Wales, helping them cope and move forward with their lives; and
• Publishing a step-by-step guide for frontline investigators on conducting suspect-focused investigations and toolkits to ensure victims’ needs and rights are central to all investigations

The Home Secretary has also commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services to carry out a thematic inspection of forces’ implementation of the Soteria Model.

Ms Crew said transformational change will “not happen overnight”, adding: “There is no quick fix to 43 different forces, who have different systems, different ways of working and different levels of resources working this area and different levels of training.

“But critically the will is there in every force and in every chief constable to fix the system because we know women and girls will not start to trust us again until action and results start to be seen.

“Equipping officers with the new knowledge that we have developed through this programme will be a critical success factor.”

Association of Police and Crime Commissioners joint victims leads, Caroline Henry and Sophie Linden, said: “The roll out of this national operating model is a positive step towards improving outcomes for victims of rape. Rape is one of the most complex crimes to investigate and it is vital we have a system that is fit for purpose with the needs of victims at the very core. Operation Soteria has been an innovative approach to identifying and solving issues in the investigative process.

“We are pleased to see the commitment from government to funding independent sexual violence advisers as these are a critical service for advocating for victims in the criminal justice system. Funding to expand the service is a great step in the right direction however it is redundant if there are blockages in the court which prevents the productivity of roll out.

“We will continue to work with our national partners and HM Courts and Tribunal Service to reduce court backlogs, ensure victims are supported throughout and mitigate harm from adjournments.”

Responding to the Government’s progress report, Amelia Handy, head of policy and public affairs at Rape Crisis England and Wales, said: “Policing and prosecuting have just begun moving in the right direction, and whilst it is right to acknowledge progress, the rights of those subjected to sexual violence and abuse remain a technicality rather than a reality in the large majority of cases.

“While increasing charge rates is imperative, the courts must be able to deal with the increased numbers of rape and sexual offence cases competently. We must have proper engagement on the record-high numbers of rape survivors waiting for trial. We have so far had no engagement with officials on this dangerous issue.

“There are opportunities right now that will tangibly improve the experiences of women and girls subjected to rape and sexual abuse, which include special protections for therapeutic material, access to independent legal advice, and funding for specialist sexual violence and abuse services. These rights need to be enshrined in law.”