LESS than four per cent of all rape investigations against women in Dorset resulted in someone being charged last year, which is lower than the national average, latest figures show.

The Home Office figures reveal Dorset Police concluded 621 rape investigations, where the alleged victim was female, in the year to March – but only 27 (four per cent) resulted in a charge or summons.

The force dropped 538 investigations (87 per cent) due to difficulties gathering evidence and 25 cases (four per cent) because a suspect could not be identified.

Low charge rates are seen across reports of sexual offences as a whole – Dorset Police charged a suspect in a sex offence case 123 times in 2020-21, equating to just seven per cent of investigations closed over the period.

Across England and Wales, 2,742 rape reports to police forces by women ended with a suspect being charged or summonsed to court in 2020-21 – just 5.3 per cent of the 51,667 investigations assigned an outcome last year.

The figures also show few harassment crimes reported to Dorset Police resulted in a charge or summons last year – 161 (eight per cent) of 1,957 concluded investigations.

That was higher than the average across England and Wales, where just 6.5 per cent of harassment investigations saw someone charged or summonsed to court.

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said:“We are currently working with CPS Wessex and other local forces and have developed a joint action plan in relation to rape and serious sexual offences as we look to take a partnership approach to try and increase the number of cases prosecuted, but without this leading to a decrease in the number of successful convictions.

“We are committed to providing the highest levels of service to victims of serious sexual offences. There are huge challenges around the investigation of sexual offences and we are committed to working with partners to ensure the best possible outcomes for all victims.

“As part of our victim-led approach we have to recognise that there are some cases where the victim is not seeking a criminal justice outcome.

"There can be a range of complex reasons behind this and we do not underestimate the importance of listening to these individuals and helping to ensure they have access to the appropriate support, while respecting their decision not to go through the criminal justice process if it is deemed appropriate.”