EXCLUSIVE figures from Essex Police reveal the "biggest challenge" in prosecuting sexual offences is getting victims' support. 

In 2023, Essex saw a total of 5,515 reports of sexual offences.

Of these, 1,851 reports - about 30 per cent - saw a suspect identified, but the victim did not support or had withdrawn support from police action. 

Det Supt Neil Pudney said: “The biggest challenge we have around sexual offences is securing the victim’s support to take forward a prosecution.

“Certainly, for rape, we can’t take a case to court without the victim providing an evidential account - we have to be able to prove or disprove consent.

“Without the victim wanting to support police action, we cannot take that forward through the criminal justice process.”

Mr Pudney said in the last 12 months, about 65 per cent of victims reporting sexual offences did not support a criminal prosecution.

A victim feedback panel showed that almost half of those victims did not support a criminal prosecution from the outset of the investigation, with just one per cent of victims becoming unsupportive at the end.

The force says it is because a lot of reports are "third-party" reports.

Mr Pudney said: “It could be a report on behalf of a family member, or disclosure to a work colleague, and when we speak to victims, they might not want the police involved.

“Other victims have health and mental health issues, have wanted to concentrate on a family member’s health or on school exams, and haven’t wanted to be distracted by a criminal trial.

“We then record the crime and look at what we can do to safeguard them, but ultimately, if they don’t want to provide an evidential account then our hands are very much tied.

“We then record the crime, and look at what we can do to safeguard them.

"We do a lot of work with victims and along with specialist services to support them.”

He continued: “With Essex Police, we are very victim focused. We respect their wishes and listen to them, and we aim to deliver the right outcome according to their needs.

“When a victim does support a criminal prosecution for rape in particular, we solve one in every five.

“For us it’s about listening to the victim, because rape and sexual offences are crimes of power, and it’s really important that the police don’t disempower victims."

The force says almost 95 per cent of rape victims are satisfied with the police, even if the alleged offender is not charged.

Mr Pudney said: “It is important for us that we deliver the right service and a good service to meet victims’ needs.”