Cheshire Police dedicated Rape Unit

As thoughts turn towards Christmas, and families come together to celebrate, some people – victims of rape – will have nothing to celebrate.

Historically, at this time of year Cheshire Police see an increase in the number of reports received – of rape and sexual assaults.

Cheshire Police will be dealing with victims who are often traumatised by their experience

In 2012 Cheshire Police opened the Dedicated Rape Unit consisting of 31 officers, a mixture of men and women who support victims.

Detective Chief Superintendent Serena Kennedy, Head of the Public Protection Directorate said, “Officers in the Unit deal with a vast amount of cases, and offer a bespoke service to each victim they encounter. They provide support, build trust and a positive relationship with the victim, guiding them through the ordeal as it progresses through the criminal justice system.”

Between April 2014 and March 2015, the Unit dealt with 467 reported incidents of rape and sexual assault. Each incident is assigned to a detective in the unit, who have the job of meticulously and empathetically gathering evidence for the case. This includes accompanying the victim to the Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Manchester, to be assessed, dealing with and interviewing suspects in custody, speaking to witnesses and visiting crime scenes.

Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Bennett said, “The service provided by the Dedicated Rape Unit is an exceptional one. Although the victims are subjected to a harrowing ordeal, they are often very complimentary about the service they receive. Officers take the time to build up a relationship of cooperation and trust with the victim, ensuring they’re 100% happy with the subsequent steps as the case progresses.”

Officers in the Dedicated Rape Unit are specialist investigators and their professionalism and expertise is key to achieving a high conviction rate for the crime. The work they do and their caring attitude was recently rated as better than the national average in an Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary report.

One Detective in the Unit said, “No matter how difficult my day is, it will never have been as difficult as that of my victim. I can always be certain that I have spent my day doing something that really makes a difference to someone.”