article_snippet: Damning figures today expose the extent of the ‘justice deficit’ for victims of rape.
article_snippet: Only one in four reported rape cases is passed on to prosecutors, who then decide whether to press charges, data shows.
article_snippet: : Some areas saw prosecutions in only one in five reported rape cases (picture posed by model)
article_snippet: In some areas, the number of ‘no crime’ cases is as high as one in five, the inspectorate’s Rape Monitoring Group found.
article_snippet: Mark Castle, of Victim Support, said Mark Castle, of Victim Support revealed an ‘unacceptable culture of disbelief’ in some areas.
article_snippet: Mark Castle said: ‘It is extremely concerning that in some parts of England and Wales Wales a rape allegation is four times more likely to be rejected than in others.
article_snippet: While there can be legitimate reasons to record a rape allegation as "no crime", these figures suggest an unacceptable culture of disbelief continues to exist in some parts of the police.
article_snippet: Worried: Victim Support chief executive Mark Castle called the low prosecution figures very 'concerning
article_snippet: ' Victim Support chief executive Mark Castle added: ‘There’s still a huge justice deficit for those who experience sexual violence offences compared to those who suffer other kinds of crime.
article_snippet: This is when an offence is initially recorded as rape but then on further consideration an offence is decided no crime took place.
article_snippet: On average, around 9 per cent of adult rape cases were marked down as no crime.
article_snippet: The 43 forces in England and Wales recorded 20,727 alleged rapes in 2013/14.
article_snippet: Nicole Westmarland, a professor of criminology at Durham University, said: ‘Today’s figures provide stark evidence of the inconsistent policing of rape, and the disservice that is being done to those who decide to report to the police.
article_snippet: Comparing the number of rapes reported to the police with the number of convictions oversimplifies a long and complex process, in which a criminal conviction is not always possible or the desired outcome for victims.
highlights_snippet: 43 forces in England and Wales recorded 20,727 alleged rapes in 2013/14 .
  