Scathing report condemns police in England and Wales for ‘victim blaming’ in rape cases

Examination exposes failure to track repeat suspects and botched investigations by struggling forces

A damning official examination into how police forces tackle rape has exposed persistent failings in the criminal justice system, including a failure to track repeat suspects, explicit victim-blaming" and botched investigations.

The long-awaited independent report into the first year of Operation Soteria Bluestone - launched by the government after a catastrophic fall in rape prosecutions - also paints a picture of a over-worked, traumatised and inexperienced police workforce in England and Wales, which is struggling to cope with an increase in rape reports after years of austerity.