Police Given New Tool to Improve Rape Investigations

A new tool for police forces to improve rape investigations has been created by academics as part of the UK Home Office funded Operation Soteria.

Highlighted today (14 Feb) in the UK Government’s update to the Rape Review, the tool has been developed by University of Glasgow academics Dr Ruth Friskney and Dr Kelly Johnson, together with Professor Clare McGlynn from Durham University, to help police forces to better protect victims’ rights.

The new Rape Victim Impact Assessment (RVIA) tool will help police forces improve services to victims by providing a clear process to support officers and staff to systematically review how police policies and procedures could impact victims. It is developed from similar processes such as Equalities or Environmental Impact Assessments which are now routine in many sectors.

The tool is part of the new National Operating Model (NOM) for the investigation of rape and serious sexual offences for police forces. Dr Friskney, Professor McGlynn and Dr Johnson continue to work with police forces across England and Wales to explore how the tool is used in practice and how it can be improved to increase its value to forces and victims.

While the Rape Victim Impact Assessment was developed in the specific context of police investigations of rape, it has the potential to be applied across all areas of the criminal justice system. It provides a flexible, systematic tool to truly put victims – their rights and interests – at the heart of the criminal justice system.

Dr Ruth Friskney, University of Glasgow, said: “The RVIA expands the existing practice of impact assessments in other fields such as equalities and environmental impact assessments and applies it to the context of rape investigations. It therefore draws on long-standing practice and expertise, now developed for the specific context of rape and policing.”

Commenting on the potential impact this will have, Professor Clare McGlynn, Durham University, said: “While the RVIA was developed in the specific context of police investigations of rape, it has the potential to be applied across all areas of the criminal justice system. The RVIA provides a flexible, systematic tool to truly put victims – their rights and interests – at the heart of the criminal justice system.”

Dr Kelly Johnson, University of Glasgow, said: “The RVIA will help the police to embed the principles of procedural justice – dignity and respect, fairness, voice, safety and trustworthiness – which were developed as part of Operation Soteria.”

She added: “It also reflects findings in Year One that there was a lack of strategic oversight and planning for policy development to ensure it carefully considered victims’ interests.”

The RVIA tool provides:

·       A process for the police to analyse the potential impact a policy change may have on victims, including identifying and gathering evidence, and considering ways to mitigate any adverse consequences.

·       Assistance for the police to provide a better service for victims, putting their rights and interests at the heart of the criminal justice system.

·       Greater confidence for individual police officers that all policies have been designed with the rights and interests of victims of sexual offences in mind, including those from minoritised and marginalised groups.

·       Opportunity for victims, stakeholders and the public to understand police decision-making, as the tool advises forces to publish and share their assessments with the local community to support transparency and accountability.

END

Notes to Editors:

1.     The Rape Victim Impact Assessment tool is available to download here. Researchers have also prepared a briefing and FAQ document which are also available on the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research website.

2.       Reference to the RVIA tool is contained within the Rape Review Progress Update published by the Home Office on 14 Feb (pp.11, 12)

3.       Operation Soteria is a large Home Office funded programme, bringing together police forces and academics, with the aim of transforming the way police forces respond to rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO).  Operation Soteria Year One Report, Home Office, 2023 is available here.