Sexual Assault and Rape: Reporting Procedures (Hansard, 11 March 1986)

§ Baroness Macleod of Borve
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Glenarthur)
My Lords, we are very aware of the anguish generated by these awful offences, and we are concerned to do everything possible to meet the needs of victims. The whole House will have been shocked by the appalling cases which have occurred recently. The Women's National Commission recently published a most valuable report on violence against women, and the Home Office is currently discussing with the Association of Chief Police Officers, in the light of that report, what further scope there may be for improving police procedures in dealing with such crimes.

§ Baroness Macleod of Borve
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord the Minister for his reply. May I ask him whether he is aware that within the metropolitan district there are set aside two special units for reception of those who have been raped, one at Hendon and one at Brentford? Furthermore, two more units, one at Barkingside and one at Shooters Hill, are to be opened this year and four more are to be opened next year within the metropolitan area. All women who go to the special units will be seen, if possible, almost exclusively by women, from detectives and police officers to doctors. If the rape victims know this, perhaps they will be more willing to report to the local police station.

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for making those useful points. She is quite right. As she says, there are two units, one at Hendon and one at Brentford, and a further six units are planned. As regards the question of interviews, my noble friend is quite right, and hopefully this will result in more cases being reported.

§ Lord Dean of Beswick
My Lords, is the Minister aware that we are talking today almost as though we accept this crime as some form of growth industry? Questions about the incidence of this particularly revolting crime have been raised on numerous occasions lately in your Lordships' House, and I must say that the answers have given very little satisfaction. Does the Minister agree that we are now faced almost daily with headlines about this particularly vile and obscene crime which is taking place on an increasing and ominous scale? Those of us who have been following the situation with care think that the fall-back position of having more centres where the victims of rape can report is not preferable to instituting methods which may reduce the incidence of this terrible crime, and we are far from satisfied that such measures exist at the present time.

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, I can assure the noble Lord that the police are taking all the steps they possibly can to reduce the incidence of rape. My noble friend Lady Macleod asked about special arrangements for the examination of women. As she said, there are those two centres, which will be followed by another six. I entirely share the noble Lord's concern and that is why every possible step is being taken to try to reduce the incidence of this dreadful crime.

§ Lord Mishcon
My Lords, everyone in your Lordships' House will want to join in the expression of horror at the spate of cases of the kind raised in this Question, and we all want to try to help. Perhaps the noble Lord the Minister will consider a suggestion which I realise, however, contains difficulties. Is not one of the disincentives for a complainant to come forward to the police and to court proceedings the prospect of giving evidence and being cross-examined before the public and the press? Would the Minister consider the suggestion—I make it no more than that—that when the complainant in an appropriate case is giving evidence the court should be given discretion to clear the court of the press and the public?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, I think that is a most interesting suggestion. So far as I know, it is not the case at present, and reliance is placed merely on reporting restrictions. But I shall certainly convey the noble Lord's point of view to those others concerned.

§ Lord Kinnaird
My Lords, may I say something which follows up what the noble Lord, Lord Mishcon, has just said? When these creatures who perpetrate these horrid crimes on women and children go to and from police vans, why are they allowed the privilege of having their face covered with a blanket? Should they not be seen in their full horror?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, I think this applies to other cases and not just to rape, as my noble friend 507 suggests. I cannot tell my noble friend what the procedures are in individual cases but I shall certainly look at this question.

§ Baroness Fisher of Rednal
My Lords, when he is having discussions with chief constables will the noble Lord recognise that rape does not only take place in London but occurs in many parts of the country? That is important. Women's groups in various cities have all kinds of committees to try to prevent rape and they have listed many points. One of the matters about which they are very concerned is the poor street lighting because of the cutback in government and local authority expenditure. Repairs are not taking place and lighting is getting very much worse, which obviously leaves many dark places which people must walk through even on main streets. Those are the kinds of matters to which women are drawing the attention of the local police forces. Will the Minister make sure that all those points are considered?

§ Lord Glenarthur
I am sure, my Lords, that the local authorities concerned will take whatever steps they see fit to protect people. If their lighting is inadequate, they will make arrangements for it to be improved.

§ Baroness Masham of Ilton
My Lords, may I ask the Minister whether there is a special committee at the Home Office to co-ordinate and look at all the different aspects of rape? Is he aware that there is tremendous feeling outside this House, particularly among women, that a meaningful deterrent must be found?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, I can assure the noble Baroness that all those who are involved in this matter at the Home Office take it very seriously and consider it in the light of all the different aspects of the departments which are concerned with it.

§ Baroness Macleod of Borve
My Lords, may I further ask my noble friend the Minister whether he can confirm that attached to every police station which has a special unit there could be a voluntary support scheme and young volunteers, having been trained, could go and give help to the victims after they have been through the police station and possibly the courts?

§ Lord Glenarthur
My Lords, certainly rape crisis centres seem to be the sort of centres which could usefully promote my noble friend's point of view. I am sure that they will take note of what she says.

§ Lord Stoddart of Swindon
My Lords, I wonder whether the noble Lord the Minister has considered the position of rape victims who are harassed by press photographers. Has he considered the attempt by one newspaper to show a photograph of a rape victim? Is this not a discouragement for women to report rape?

§ Lord Glenarthur
Yes, my Lords, I am aware of the case to which the noble Lord refers, and I understand that the Press Council is holding an inquiry into the publication of a photograph of an alleged rape victim in yesterday's Sun newspaper.