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The Difficulty Of The Court Procedure Is Considered A Factor That Intimidates ...

The difficulty of the court procedure is considered a factor that intimidates women; the very low rate of conviction in cases that make it to court is also significant. In 2003 there was only a 5% conviction rate in rape trials (Observer, 2005). These factors must be born in mind when drawing conclusions on this subject using statistics.
There has been a difference over time in the levels of sexual offences recorded. In government statistics, we see that in 1898 official figures recorded that 236 offences of rape and 798 offences of indecent assault had been brought to the courts. In 2003 there were 12,354 cases of rape and 26,709 cases of indecent assault recorded in England and Wales (RCS). These figures show an alarming in rise in such crimes in the last century. Some of the rises in these figures are due to the increasing size of the population. There have also been a number of changes in the way crime has been recorded, which has made a difference to the statistics. However, despite this there has clearly been a steep rise in this type of crime.
It is also clear from the statistics that not all women are universally at risk form these offences. Younger women seem to be more at risk than older women. Women in the 16-24 age group reported the highest numbers of rapes. It is possible that this is accurate due to this age group being the most socially active, which could place them at higher risk because of their increased level of contact with men and the circumstances under which they meet them; alcohol consumption of both genders makes the committing of sexual offences more likely, also young men of this age group are the largest perpetrators of crime and this is the group of men women in this age group are most likely to socialize with (Findings, 159, p1). However, it should be born in mind that it is also possible that this age group is most likely to report crime, unhindered by beliefs and prejudices gained from life-experiences.
There are other factors highlighted by the British Crime Survey concerning these crimes. Income levels of women also play a factor in who is at greatest risk from this form of violence. Women from households with incomes of less than £10,000 a year were more at risk than women from households with income of more than £20,000 a year (Findings, 159, p3). It is also significant where women are assaulted. Most reported rapes take place in a domestic dwelling, either that of the victim or the offender 55% of rapes were committed in the victim's own home and 20% in the home of the offender (Findings, 159, p4).

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