Listening to your feedback - Improving our service to vctims of rape and serious sexual assaults

Listening to your feedback - Improving our service to vctims of rape and serious sexual assaults

Derbyshire Constabulary - Surveys and Feedback 

Feedback which has come directly from victims is paving the way for work to further improve our service to those who have experienced rape and serious sexual assault.

Over the summer, we put out a survey asking for anyone who has reported this to Derbyshire Constabulary to share their experiences with us.

Over 200 people responded – and more than 50 of those opted in to be contacted further as part of focus groups and ongoing work.

Detective Chief Inspector Laura Sanders, force lead for rape and serious sexual offences, said: “We want to thank everyone who shared their experiences with us through the survey.

“We understand how incredibly difficult it can be to talk about,  and we really appreciate you taking the time to do this. 

"We've had some valuable information shared with us and we have been working behind the scenes to put this into practice and make the changes that will help you.”

The main area which was raised was communication. Even those who experienced delays were more positive about their experience if they were kept up to date and felt informed, supported, respected and listened to. Alternatively, those who were dissatisfied reported this as one of the main reasons.

An understanding and appreciation of the trauma experienced was also important, and adapting our approach as a result of that. You also said the amount of effort you can actually see officers putting in, how much control you have, and the decisions you’re able to make as victims makes a huge difference, even when the end result at court hasn’t been what you wanted.

DCI Sanders added: “Looking at the main areas you want us to improve on, we are pleased to say we are reintroducing Sexual Offence Liaison Officers back into force. These are dedicated points of contact who will be able to keep you informed and will be there every step of the way, offering you insight and updates as to how the investigation is going, and helping you understand what to expect next, so you feel more informed and in control.”

There was an also an option for those who didn’t come through the police, where we also received valuable information about the reasons some of you might not have reported. These included feeling like you wouldn’t be believed and that no good would come from telling us.

You also told us that perceiving sexual offences as having low conviction rates were another reason you didn’t want to report to us.

DCI Laura Sanders said: “I want to reassure people that, when you make that call and report to us, you will be listened to and our officers will make sure you feel heard. 

"Whilst I will be honest about the challenges that come with investigating these types of offences, we’re always looking for new ways to get the evidence we need.

“As well as this, we are consistently working with the CPS and other partners to do this and ensure the court process can go as successfully as possible.

“In the last 12 months, conviction rates have risen from 51% to 65%, putting us above the national average of 56%.”

Looking ahead to the coming months, those who have opted to be part of the focus groups are being contacted and getting involved in these, offering further insight and sharing further information which can help us identify more opportunities to provide a better service.

Tracy Lees, Service Improvement Officer, said: “We’re really pleased that over 50 people wanted to get involved further in the ongoing work, and we’re really grateful for them using their experience to help guide our work.

“Victim Support, who are commissioned to do our lived experience work, has been speaking to victims to delve deeper and come up with any further new ways of working.”

2️⃣ If you’ve been affected by rape or sexual assault, support is available.  Speak to us through the following channels:

📱 Live Chat through www.derbyshire.police.uk   - (look out for a speech bubble in the lower right hand side corner of our official Derbsyhire Constabulary Website).

💻 Report online through www.derbyshire.police.uk > report

📞 Ring 101

In an emergency, call 999.

If you’re not ready to report, that’s ok. You can get in touch with the Millfield House Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) on 0330 223 0099. They provide confidential healthcare and support in the immediate after an assault, and any samples taken will be able to be kept for up to two years, giving you the time to process what has happened to you and make an informed decision on whether you want to report this to the police.

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