The Scottish Law Commission recommended that a definition of the term 'consent' in rape cases should be placed on the statute book.
Source: Report on Rape and Other Sexual Offences, Report 209, Scottish Law Commission (0131 668 2131)
Links: Report | SLC press release | SG press release | BBC report
Date: 2007-Dec
A new book examined the phenomenon of child sexual abuse by women.
Source: Jackie Turton, Child Abuse, Gender and Society, Routledge (01264 343071)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Dec
An article examined the justifications for, and implications of, the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (which introduced a new statutory offence of 'sexual activity in a public lavatory'). It said that the legislation was largely in contradiction with the realities of police work and contemporary law enforcement.
Source: Paul Johnson, 'Ordinary folk and cottaging: law, morality, and public sex', Journal of Law and Society, Volume 34 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Dec
The government announced (following consultation) a series of reforms to the handling of rape cases. Adult victims of rape would be allowed to give video-recorded evidence at trials. Further consideration would be given to how general expert material could be presented in a controlled and consistent way with a view to 'dispelling myths' around rape victims' behaviour. The law would be clarified on a complainant's capacity to give consent where drink or drugs were involved.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 28 November 2007, columns 34-36WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | Response to consultation | Solicitor General press release | Fawcett press release | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-Nov
A report examined support services for women who were victims of violence. One-third of local authorities had no specialized support services; most women had no access to a rape crisis centre; and fewer than 1 in 10 local authorities had specialist services for ethnic minority women that would address issues such as forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and crimes in the name of honour.
Source: Maddy Coy, Liz Kelly and Jo Foord with Val Balding and Rebecca Davenport, Map of Gaps: The postcode lottery of violence against women support services, End Violence Against Women (020 7033 1559) and Equality and Human Rights Commission
Links: Report | EHRC press release | Fawcett press release | Amnesty press release | TUC press release | Liberal Democrats press release
Date: 2007-Nov
The annual report was published on 'multi-agency public protection arrangements' (MAPPA) highlighting the work undertaken by the police, probation and prison services in each of the 42 areas in England and Wales to protect communities from the risk posed by dangerous offenders. The number of high-risk offenders who committed a murder, rape, or another serious offence while being monitored in the community rose to 83 in 2006-07, compared with 61 in 2005-06.
Source: Press release 22 October 2007, Ministry of Justice (020 7210 8500)
Links: MOJ press release | Statistical press release | Hansard | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-Oct
The government announced its intention to introduce amendments to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill designed to strengthen the protection for the public from sex offenders and hate crime. The new legislation would allow police, probation, and prison services to notify members of the public if a sex offender posed a risk to children. A further proposal would create a new offence which would extend protection from harassment already provided for religious and racial groups to gay, lesbian, and bisexual people.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Debate 8 October 2007, column 67, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | MOJ press release | Stonewall press release | Christian Institute press release | Ekklesia report
Date: 2007-Oct
A report said that there were 'significant gaps and inconsistencies' in child protection standards for trafficked children in the United Kingdom compared to international standards.
Source: Rights Here, Rights Now: Recommendations for protecting trafficked children, UNICEF UK (020 7405 5592) and ECPAT UK
Links: Report | UNICEF press release | ECPAT press release | Guardian report | Community Care report | Children Now report
Date: 2007-Sep
Researchers examined changes made in Scotland in 2002 to the law of evidence in sex offence trials. The numbers of trials with applications to introduce sexual history and/or character evidence had substantially increased compared to the baseline study. Almost three-quarters of trials (72 per cent) now included an application, compared to just over one-fifth of trials (21 per cent) in the baseline study.
Source: Michele Burman, Lynn Jamieson, Jan Nicholson and Oona Brooks, Impact of Aspects of the Law of Evidence in Sexual Offence Trials: An evaluation study, Scottish Government, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Date: 2007-Sep
An article examined the move from 'enforcement' (punishment) to 'multi-agency' (regulatory) responses to prostitution.
Source: Jane Scoular and Maggie O'Neill, 'Regulating prostitution: social inclusion, responsibilization and the politics of prostitution reform', British Journal of Criminology, Volume 47 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Sep
Researchers examined operational practices in relation to sexual offenders subject to 'multi-agency public protection arrangements', and their impact on offending-related behaviour. Offenders felt that public disclosure would make supervision more difficult, and would not encourage them to co-operate with their registration requirements.
Source: Jason Wood and Hazel Kemshall with Mike Maguire, Kirsty Hudson and Gill Mackenzie, The Operation and Experience of Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), Online Report 12/07, Home Office (web publication only)
Date: 2007-Jul
A report summarized the findings of a study of attrition in reported offences of rape of a female in England and Wales in 2003-04. It was designed to explore several aspects around the detection and conviction of rape cases: the reasons behind the decline in recorded detection rates for rape since 1997; why marked variations in detection rates existed in different forces; and what factors best predicted whether a recorded offence got to court and resulted in a conviction.
Source: Andy Feist, Jane Ashe, Jane Lawrence, Duncan McPhee and Rachel Wilson, Investigating and Detecting Recorded Offences of Rape, Online Report 18/07, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Report | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-Jul
A report examined the discretionary disclosure of information to members of the public about child-sex offenders managed in the community, when there was a recognized need for public protection. 40 out of 43 police areas in England and Wales (and Northern Ireland) reported having used disclosure as part of their management strategies for child-sex offenders.
Source: Jenny Cann, Assessing the Extent of Discretionary Disclosure Under the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), Online Report 13/07, Home Office (web publication only)
Date: 2007-Jul
A report said that laws designed to protect children from sexual exploitation were failing. The three new offences to target sexual exploitation introduced in the Sexual Offences Act 2003 had not succeeded in bringing more perpetrators to justice.
Source: Forgotten and Failed, Barnardo?s (01268 520224)
Links: Report | Barnardo's press release | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Jul
The first annual report was published by a government agency set up to tackle child abuse, including child sex abuse and child trafficking.
Source: Annual Review 2006-07, Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (0870 000 3344)
Links: Annual report | Strategy report | CEOP press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Jun
An official report examined the extent of child trafficking into the United Kingdom, and made recommendations on developing further protection for children. The police should assess all missing children's cases for signs that the child had been trafficked.
Source: Aarti Kapoor, A Scoping Project on Child Trafficking in the UK, Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (0870 000 3344)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Jun
The government set out proposals (following consultation) for improved arrangements for the protection of children from sex offenders. Key points included: a new process would be piloted allowing parents and guardians to request details of possible sex offenders; police and probation services would be required to consider in each case whether a child sex offender's conviction should be disclosed to protect children; and drug treatment would be used to reduce sexual drive in some offenders.
Source: Review of the Protection of Children from Sex Offenders, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Report | Hansard | Home Office press release | OCC press release | Barnardos press release | NCH press release | Nacro press release | NAPO press release | Guardian report | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Jun
A report (by an official advisory body) made recommendations designed to help tackle drug-facilitated sexual assault, or 'date rape', including rapes in which drugs were mixed with alcohol.
Source: Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault, Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (020 7035 0454)
Links: Report | ACMD press release | Home Office press release | ACPO press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Apr
A new book examined the controversy over whether restorative justice could be applied to child sexual abuse; and if so, what special considerations might apply.
Source: Anne Marie McAlinden, The Shaming of Sexual Offenders: Risk, retribution and reintegration, Hart Publishing (01865 517530)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Apr
The government published an action plan designed to improve support for victims of sexual violence (including child sexual abuse), through better support facilities and an improved response from the justice system to such crimes.
Source: Cross Government Action Plan on Sexual Violence and Abuse, Home Office (0870 000 1585) and others
Links: Action Plan | Home Office press release | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Apr
The government published an action plan designed to tackle human trafficking into the United Kingdom. It also signed the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Human Trafficking.
Source: UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Action plan | Home Office press release (1) | Home Office press release (2) | Amnesty press release | ACPO press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Mar
An article said that the organizational and cultural conditions that seemed to offer female sex workers some protection from violence in indoor settings could be useful for informing the management of street-sex work.
Source: Teela Sanders and Rosie Campbell, 'Designing out vulnerability, building in respect: violence, safety and sex work policy', British Journal of Sociology, Volume 58 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Mar
The Scottish Parliament approved a Bill to criminalize the nuisance caused by those who purchased sex on the streets.
Source: Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Bill, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Policy memorandum | BBC report
Date: 2007-Feb
An article examined the sufficiency of existing sentencing options for high-risk, highly deviant sexual predators in England and Wales. It questioned whether chemical castration should be an option, and evaluated what was known about the effectiveness of such treatment.
Source: Karen Harrison, 'The high-risk sex offender strategy in England and Wales: is chemical castration an option?', Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, Volume 46 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Feb
A report said that 'modern' slavery existed in the United Kingdom in various forms. All exhibited severe economic exploitation; the absence of a framework of human rights; and control of one person over another by the prospect or reality of violence. Trafficking into the United Kingdom for sexual or domestic labour involved hundreds or even thousands of women and children.
Source: Gary Craig, Aline Gaus, Mick Wilkinson, Klara Skrivankova and Aidan McQuade, Contemporary Slavery in the UK: Overview and key issues, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | JRF Findings | JRF press release | REC press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Feb
An article reported research that investigated employment for sex offenders following release from prison. The approach taken by the state served to increase the barriers to, and reduce the opportunities for, employment for sex offenders.
Source: Kevin Brown, Jon Spencer and Jo Deakin, 'The reintegration of sex offenders: barriers and opportunities for employment', Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, Volume 46 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Feb
The Northern Ireland Executive began consultation on a strategy to tackle sexual violence in Northern Ireland. Key elements included proposals to: set up a specialist sexual assault referral centre (to provide medical care, forensic examination, and counselling for victims of sexual assault); provide a directory of services for sexual violence victims; and carry out a major study of the prevalence of sexual violence among men and women in Northern Ireland, from childhood to adulthood.
Source: Hidden Crimes, Secret Pain: A consultation paper on a proposed regional strategy for addressing sexual violence in Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Executive (028 9052 0500)
Links: Consultation document | NIE press release
Date: 2007-Jan
A joint inspectorate report said that police and prosecutors were failing to implement measures to boost the rape conviction rate. Too many rape claims were wrongly dismissed as unfounded, and some cases were dropped prematurely.
Source: Without Consent: A report on the joint review of the investigation and prosecution of rape offences, HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (020 7210 1197) and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary
Links: Report | Home Office press release | CPS/ACPO press release | Fawcett Society press release | BBC report | Guardian report | Times report
Date: 2007-Jan
A report by a committee of MSPs said that substantial changes should be made to the Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Bill. The committee called on the Scottish Executive to expand the offence of loitering to include private cars, saying this was crucial to address to the problem of kerb-crawling in residential areas. The Scottish Executive said that it would table an appropriate amendment.
Source: Stage 1 Report on the Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Bill, 1st Report 2007, SP Paper 711, Scottish Parliament Local Government and Transport Committee, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283) | Press release 17 January 2007, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400)
Links: Report | SP press release | SE press release | BBC report (1) | BBC report (2) | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Jan