Yvette Cooper: 'The vast majority of rape victims are being totally let down'
27 January 2022, 19:01 | Updated: 27 January 2022, 19:16
Yvette Cooper: 'The vast majority of rape victims are being totally let down'
The vast majority of rape victims are being "totally let down", Labour Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has told LBC.
The Labour politician has made the remark as Office for National Statistic (ONS) figures have shown that police forces in England and Wales recorded the highest ever number of number of rapes and sexual offences over a year.
There were 63,136 rapes recorded in the year to September, according to the ONS.
Figures published by Home Office have also shown that 1.3% of rapes recorded in England and Wales in the year to September 2021 resulted in a charge or summons.
Yvette Cooper said: "We want people to come forward and report rapes. We know it's underreported.
READ MORE: Record number of 63,000 rapes reported to police since murder of Sarah Everard last year
"But that means they've got to have confidence in the police and the criminal justice system."
The Labour Shadow Home Secretary continued: "And a truly shocking 1.3% - only 1.3% - of rapes ever even led to a charge, ever even got as far as starting a prosecution.
"And that means the vast majority of rape victims are being totally let down."
