Essex: Rape claim numbers are falling

12:22am Thursday 19th June 2008

Comments (1)   Have your say »

THE number of false rape allegations has fallen in the Tendring district.

In 2002, almost one third of all rapes reported to police in the district were later revealed not to have been offences - 11 out of 32.

Figures for 2007 reveal that while the number of reported rapes stayed almost the same at 31, there was a marked reduction in the number of false allegations, to seven.

This trend is echoed throughout the county, with Colchester last year recording 48 reported rapes of which nine were false, compared to 45 reports of which 15 were untrue in 2002.

The figures date from January 1 to December 31 for 2002 and 2007, and were released by Essex Police under the Freedom of Information Act.

An Essex Police spokesman said: "Thankfully Essex Police deal with a relatively low number of false rape allegations. And we have seen a marked decrease in these false allegations in the last five years.

"Victims of sex offences are more willing to come forward and report their crimes now than previously because the police service has, and is continuing to, encourage more people to report this type of crime.

"We would stress that the problem of people making false allegations should not prevent people from coming forward and reporting incidents.

"All allegations are investigated fully, and with sensitivity. We have specially trained officers and dedicated facilities where victims can be dealt with sympathetically."

Lindsey Read, manager of the Colchester-based Rape Crisis Line, said: "It has been shown time and again that the number of false reports of crimes is three per cent.

"We need to be very careful in the distinction between allegations which are false, and allegations which have not been taken forward."