§ 3.6 p.m.
§ Baroness Masham of IltonMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what they are doing to reduce the incidence of rape in Britain.
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, rapists must be caught and punished. We fully support police efforts to solve these crimes, and in 1984 68 per cent. of reported offences in England and Wales were cleared up. We are encouraging the Metropolitan Police initiative which aims to overcome victims' reluctance to report offences. We support police initiatives offering advice on prevention to women. We support firm action in the courts against offenders; and my right honourable friend would consider granting parole to a rapist serving over five years' imprisonment only in wholly exceptional circumstances.
§ Baroness Masham of IltonMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord the Minister for that helpful reply, but is he aware that millions of women up and down the country are terrified, both inside and outside their houses, that they may be raped? Will the Government 1305 or the Judiciary consider that castration be a punishment for proven cases of rape? Would this not be fair, and also a useful deterrent?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, it would certainly be a permanent deterrent. However, I believe that the noble Baroness is quite right when she says that many women are legitimately terrified of this sort of thing. That is why it is important to note that stiffer sentencing is available and why every effort should be made to support the police in all they do to try to prevent this crime.
§ Lord MishconMy Lords, is the noble Lord the Minister aware that we all sympathise with him in his answer to the last question? Does he not think that at least an appreciable number of the incidents of rape have something to do with the advertisement of violence, which all of us deplore? Is he not grateful, as many of us are, that the guidelines of the BBC in regard to violence are now being reviewed, and is it not about time that that was so?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, of course pornography and violence are naturally very likely to be the cause of some of this sort of thing. I note the noble Lord's view as regards the guidelines of the BBC. I think the whole question of violence might be helped (certainly this applies to cases of pornography—reports on the most recent case were published in the papers yesterday) by the introduction of the Bill in another place to amend the Obscene Publications Act, which, if it comes to this House, your Lordships will be able to discuss.
§ Lord Hutchinson of LullingtonMy Lords, will the noble Lord agree that it is important not to get hysterical about this matter of rape? By definition, rape is having sexual intercourse without consent, and, therefore, the incidence of rape varies between the most horrible and violent offences and those cases where ladies withdraw their consent at the 59th minute of the 23rd hour.
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, all these considerations are taken into account when the court considers a case, but I still believe that it is the general feeling that rape is such a thoroughly vile crime that every possible step should be taken to prevent it.
§ Baroness Ewart-BiggsMy Lords, may I ask the Minister whether he can tell the House in how many schools serious courses in methods of self-protection are given to girls? Would he not agree that if this instruction is given to even very small girls as to how to deal with being accosted in a street, this might bring down the heart-breaking number of cases where small girls and bigger girls are accosted by men?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, I cannot give the answer in relation to schools, but I can say that local police crime prevention officers are always ready to offer such advice, and forces willingly supply speakers to talk to women's groups on how best to reduce their chance of being attacked. So far as concerns schools, I shall draw that to the attention of those concerned.
§ Lord WigoderMy Lords, would the noble Lord look again at the law, whereby a man accused of rape is entitled to anonymity, in order to see whether that is operating in the public interest?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, despite a recommendation of the Heilbron Committee in 1975 that defendants should not enjoy anonymity, Parliament nevertheless introduced anonymity in the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976. Last year the Criminal Law Revision Committee recommended that defendant's anonymity should be abolished, and my right honourable friend is still considering that recommendation.
§ Lord Elystan-MorganMy Lords, would the Minister agree that it seems that one important part of the problem is that only a small minority of the victims of rape make complaint? Some responsible authorities put it as low as 20 per cent. Will he give the House an assurance that at divisional, and indeed sub-divisional, level there are always officers who are trained to take statements from complainants sympathetically, and indeed that there should be women police officers if that should be the choice of the individual complainant?
§ Lord GlenarthurYes, my Lords. The noble Lord is quite right, the interviewing of rape victims should be carried out by an experienced officer in these cases. That person will often be a woman police officer. The metropolitan police have special training schemes for women officers in taking statements, and also for male detectives. They have a course in sexual offences investigation technique, and that is proving successful.
§ Viscount InglebyMy Lords, in view of the massive research being carried out in the United States which estimates that 75 per cent. of sex crime is pornography-related, as in the appalling Pocock case yesterday, would it not be helpful to carry out a similar survey in this country as a matter of urgency?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, I think in answer to an earlier supplementary I said that a Bill had been introduced in another place, and that might be an appropriate time to consider that if it comes to your Lordships' House.
§ Lord Harris of GreenwichMy Lords, with great respect to the Minister, the question was different. It was whether there should be any form of independent research on this question. Is that going to be undertaken, or not?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, I know of no plans, but no doubt the noble Lord's point of view will be considered.
Baronesss PhillipsMy Lords, may I ask the Minister whether he would, at some stage, make a direction to judges to see that the maximum penalty is awarded against those who perpetrate this violent crime?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, as the noble Baroness is aware, life imprisonment is available both for rape 1307 and attempted rape. I am sure that my noble and learned friend will note the noble Baroness's remarks.