Understanding sex offence victims, risk and police investigations using novel datasets

As part of Operation Soteria, which aimed to transform the way rape and serious sexual assault are investigated, comprehensive and novel datasets were created. These include interviews with police officers and crown prosecution service members, case reviews and a large dataset of reported sex offences. The project was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council funding responsive mode (OPP147): secondary data analysis round one, grant number APP10145 (January 2025 - May 2026) and allowed us to explore these datasets further to develop our understanding of sexual violence and law enforcement responses to sex offending.

Our aim was to challenge the notion that the responsibility for sexual violence lies with the victim, instead exploring how institutional policies, practices, beliefs and stereotypes influence the victim experience, hamper the investigative process and affect the perception of suspect recidivism risk.

We focused on:

• Victims and their experiences, including who they are, the offences they report, and the outcomes their cases receive
• The investigative process, looking at how police investigate rape and serious sexual assault and the numerous challenges involved in doing so
• Assessing and predicting suspect risk

Our objectives were to provide actionable recommendations for police and the criminal justice system more broadly and to make links to practice clear, translating research into real changes in policing and helping deliver better justice for victims of sexual violence.