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Reported rapes hit 20-year low

by generaldecay | October 21, 2009 at 09:27 am

67 views | 22 Recommendations | 5 comments

Reported rapes have fallen to the lowest level in 20 years as DNA evidence helps send more rapists to prison and victims are more willing to work with police and prosecutors, victims advocates and crime researchers say.

In some respects, I’m not entirely sure why I’m highlighting this piece because I feel that it’s largely inconclusive the whole way through. For starters, I find the first paragraph of very contradictory. I'm concluding that the author is saying that the numbers of reports of rapes have fallen DESPITE increases of convictions through using DNA evidence etc. (It reads to me as if the author is saying that reports have decreased because of DNA evidence etc.)

In any case, the main point that I want to make is that a decrease in reported rapes is not necessarily reflective of a decrease in the number of rapes actually committed. (Indeed, I am delivering a lecture on the discrepancies in official crime statistics next week so I’m bang up to date with all of this.) There is still a huge reluctance to report cases of rape, for reasons that are well know.

Criminologists say an overall decline in violent crime in the last decade doesn't fully explain the decreases in rape.

So I'm really not sure what to make of these statistics without further investigation, but I am sure that I am sure (repetition is the new alliteration) that the statistics are not as transparent as they seem.

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Yuliya Talmazan

at 10:19 on October 21st, 2009

I agree, generaldecay. It is a little confusing whether the number of rapes stayed the same, but they just are not reported as well, or whether there are actually less rapes committed. But, thanks for bringing up this topic.

generaldecay

at 11:54 on October 21st, 2009

yuls, thanks for the recommendation and comment. It's very difficult to unpick how the number of reported offences related to the number of actual offences and it's not clear to me at all how the author concluded from the statistics what ze did.

And you're welcome. :)

Amy Judd

at 11:29 on October 21st, 2009

I'm sure there are so many cases that are just never reported due to fear or intimidation, or for a multitude of other reasons.

generaldecay

at 12:00 on October 21st, 2009

There's an absolute multitude of reasons indeed, Amy. I don't have the collective stats to hand, but rape is one of the most under-reported crimes.

Thanks for the recommendation and comment.

Roy C

at 12:51 on October 21st, 2009

False accusations are down. That is why "reported rapes" are down. About half of the reported rapes in Manhattan were false.

DNA proves men both innocent and guilty. When they are innocent, it proves that the accuser is a liar or mistaken and that the DA's office is incompetent.