Select committee: Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 9
Eighth Report - Investigation and prosecution of rape
Published 12 Apr 2022
Paragraph 73
Addressed to Home Office
Home Affairs Committee Investigation and prosecution of rape All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
It is essential that the Government and other commissioning bodies have an understanding of the level of need and the current availability of specialist sexual violence and abuse services, including counselling and therapy and the support offered by Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs). As HMICFRS and HMCPSI have done, we recommend that the Government undertake a comprehensive mapping and monitoring exercise, covering the provision of specialist sexual violence and abuse services in England and Wales, similar to that which the Domestic Abuse Commissioner is focusing on for specialist domestic abuse services. This would need to be truly cross-Government, including the Department for Health and Social Care, and take account of integrated care systems, Police and Crime Commissioners and other sources of funding for these vital support services.
From: Home Affairs Committee, Eighth Report - Investigation and prosecution of rape (HC 193), paragraph 73, 12 April 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 25 July 2022 (deadline 12 June 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government's response to the Committee's report says it has made "important progress" under its Rape Review Action Plan, and it agrees with some recommendations while stating that others are for Chief Constables, the judiciary or ongoing work to determine.
- On governance, it "welcome[s] and agree[s]" with the recommendation to write to the Committee every six months, in line with the cycle of Rape Review Progress Update publications.
- On specialist police rape teams, it "agrees that specialism is crucial" but says Chief Constables "remain best placed to make decisions about the local deployment of resources".
- On a sexual violence commissioner, it recognises "there may be benefits", says the Home Office and Ministry of Justice are considering the recommendation, and will "update the Committee on progress in due course".
- On Operation Soteria, it commits £5m this year, with a national operating model for rape investigation "by June 2023", though adoption "will be a decision for operationally independent forces".