Experts Warn of Stalled Rape Inquiry Reform Due to Courtroom Resistance
Independent adviser says some judges in England and Wales are unaware of changes to how rape cases are investigated, threatening progress.
An overhaul of the way police investigate rape crimes in England and Wales is being put at risk by a lack of awareness and understanding in courtrooms, according to the government's independent adviser on rape. Prof Katrin Hohl, the adviser, has expressed concerns that progress made through a new investigative approach known as Operation Soteria could stall or even reverse if the conviction rate for rape drops significantly due to outdated practices persisting in the courts.
The new Operation Soteria aims to transform the way law enforcement handles rape cases, but Hohl says legal experts are worried this progress will be undermined if judges and other courtroom personnel have not been properly informed and trained on the changes. Some judges, she says, have not even heard of the new investigative procedures.
