Superintendent Alison Fossey also said that the force and the Law Officers’ Department, which handles prosecutions, are now working on a joint plan to tackle the matter. In an answer to a written States question from Deputy Louise Doublet last week, it was revealed that there had been 650 reports of violence and sexual violence against women in the last five years, resulting in 72 convictions.
Of these 209 were reports of rape, resulting in nine convictions.
Supt Fossey said that the ‘disparity’ between the number of sexual offences reported to the police and the number of prosecutions or convictions was a matter of ‘national concern’.
‘There are many reasons [for this trend], including some old challenges such as myths and stereotypes and some new challenges relating to digital evidence and changes in sexual behaviour,’ she said.
‘In the year April 2019 to March 2020, just 1.4% of rape cases recorded by police in England and Wales resulted in a suspect being charged. Jersey was 6% in 2019 and 3% in 2020.’
She added: ‘One rape is one rape too many and the police are of course concerned about the rising numbers. However, we have worked hard to win the trust and confidence of victims of sexual offences over the last five years and hope that the increase in reporting demonstrates that.
‘It also means that victims are seeking help and support, which can only be a good thing. We do of course also recognise that these are hidden crimes and so our understanding of the volume and prevalence is limited. We are particularly concerned with the decline in reporting during Covid. The States of Jersey Police take every complaint of a sexual offence seriously and will investigate it fully.’
Ms Fossey said that were multiple causes for violence against women and the police would need to work with other government bodies to address the issue.
‘To prevent violence against women and girls we need to address the underlying causes of the problem. Evidence shows that no single factor causes violence, nor is there a single pathway to perpetration,’ she said.
‘We therefore need a joined-up strategy across government which looks to understand and address the causes in Jersey.
‘The police role in any strategy is to target perpetrators, to ensure that we are fully equipped to respond to the changing nature of these crimes and, most importantly, to place victims and survivors at the heart of our approach.
‘We are currently considering a joint action plan with the Law Officers’ Department to improve the numbers of prosecutions and ultimately the number of convictions.’
Businesswoman Kate Wright, founder of The Diversity Network, who lived in London before coming to St Helier, said that ‘there are parts of town where I don’t feel particularly comfortable’.
She said: ‘It’s an issue in Jersey. I know a number of women who have been attacked after a night out. These cases aren’t known about because the success rate at trial is so small.
‘The most dangerous misogyny is violence against women, and it’s not being talked about enough.’
Ms Wright said some of the assaults had happened after nights out with work colleagues, and argued that employers should have a responsibility to staff after working hours.
‘It’s a grey area at the moment. If an employee talks an employer down outside the workplace, he or she is disciplined. Should an employer have a responsibility to employees outside work?
‘If people are at a work do, maybe they should ensure that taxis are laid on, or that nobody’s left alone at the end of the night.’
