Abandoned rape cases in the UK have doubled

There is mounting evidence that the lengthier rape cases and lower conviction rates are also caused by the UK legal system. According to The Guardian, there will likely be 100,000 rape cases in the UK legal system.

 After victims withdrew, over 280 rape cases (7.3% of all cases) were dropped last year; in 2019, that number was 62, or 2.8% of all cases.

In the meantime, 3,656 people are awaiting trial in June 2024—more than five times as many as in 2019—in the UK's record-high backlog of adult rape cases.

Statistics reveal that some defendants pass away between the time they file a complaint and the time it takes for a trial to occur, and some victims give up after years of waiting for their cases to be heard—a decision that frequently results in a miscarriage of justice.

Subsequent UK governments have suggested establishing specialized courts for rape and sexual assault as a solution to these issues; however, experts claim that the practicality of these measures is being undermined by a lack of qualified attorneys and judges. According to a legal expert, specialized rape courts are a waste of time, and the issue is made worse by the lack of UK attorneys prepared to take on serious rape cases.

Due to a shortage of attorneys, 139 sex crime trials were not held last year, and an additional 113 were postponed. In contrast, only nine trials were held in 2019 and four in 2018.

"A crisis-ridden justice system with backlogs has been inherited by the new government; these delays have consequences and justice for victims is being denied and delayed," a Ministry of Justice spokesman said.

Nearly 10,000 sex crime cases and approximately 3,000 rape cases are pending trial in UK courts at the moment; the number of the most serious criminal cases is rising by 500 cases every month.