The Catch-up: Rape victims asked to hand their phones to police
What happened?
Rape victims are being told they must hand over their mobile phones to police or risk prosecutions against their attackers not going ahead, it emerged today. Police forces in England and Wales have brought in consent forms, which ask permission to access messages, photographs, emails and social media accounts. The move follows a number of scandals in the criminal justice system, which saw a string of rape and serious sexual assault cases collapse after crucial evidence emerged at the last minute.
Is it a good idea?
Confidence in our criminal system has been seriously dented in recent years after a number of cases collapsed. But campaigners say this is not the way to go and could stop rape victims from coming forward.
Privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch has dubbed the measures “digital strip searches” and said “treating rape victims like suspects” could deter people from reporting crimes. One police commissioner said there was a “real concern that people will be put off making a complaint in the first place if it’s widely thought they are going to have to hand over lots of personal data”. Jeremy Corbyn called the idea “disturbing”.
What has the Government said?
Theresa May’s spokesman told a Westminster briefing the issue was complex. He said: “We want victims to have the confidence to come forward and report crimes knowing that they will get the support they need and that everything will be done to bring offenders to justice.”
Read more:
Men falsely accused of rape ‘are victims too’ (The Telegraph)
Rape victims ‘will be put off going to police’ (Evening Standard)
Rape victims to mount legal challenge over phone demands (The Independent)
OPINION: ‘The two main reasons this is so problematic’ (The Independent)
What do you think about rape victims being told they must hand over their mobile phones? Have your say below.
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