Cooper - give victims “stronger voice”

Victims of alleged sex crimes could be given a right to demand a review of police decisions not to proceed with their case, under new plans launched by Labour.
Yvette Cooper wants to give sex crime victims a stronger voiceYvette Cooper wants to give sex crime victims a stronger voice
Yvette Cooper wants to give sex crime victims a stronger voice

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said that “too often” victims are not listened to by police, and the change would give them “a much stronger voice” in pushing for their assailants to be brought to justice.

More than two-thirds of the 16,300 rape allegations reported to police in England and Wales in 2012/13 did not result in a file being passed to prosecutors, said Ms Cooper.

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Under Labour’s plans, the new right to review would be granted first in rape and and child sexual exploitation cases.

If investigators identify a suspect, but then decide not to pass a file to the Crown Prosecution Service, victims would be able to ask for the case to be looked at again.