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New figures show only a handful of complaints result in criminal charges, leaving police failing to deliver justice to mentally ill patients who are said to have been sexually assaulted in hospitals.
numbers revealed by independent person It shows that more than 1,374 reports of rape and sexual assault within psychiatric hospitals were received by police over the past two years, but only 26 (less than 2%) were prosecuted.
The majority of these reports involve alleged assaults on patients, all of whom have mental health problems, and include crimes such as rape, sexual assault and voyeurism.
The shocking discovery was revealed after a major expose by. independent person Sky News has revealed a “national scandal” of abuse in NHS-run mental health hospitals, reporting that almost 20,000 cases of sexual assault and harassment have been reported in the past five years.
More victims have come forward since the findings were published, with several saying: independent person Their complaints were not taken up by the police.
independent person We can now reveal:
- In the past two years, 357 rape charges (including 3 gang rapes) were reported to police in 340 mental health units.
- Women in mental health units in Gloucestershire report five sexual assault allegations in one year
- The main reasons why a claim does not proceed are “evidential difficulties,” the suspect is too ill, or there is no public interest in prosecuting.
One senior police officer said: independent person: “The officers are thinking too hastily just because you’re admitted under the Mental Health Act. That must mean your evidence is unreliable.”
Reacting to the figures, Amelia Handy, from the charity Rape Crisis, said:
“It is unacceptable that people with serious mental health concerns are left without access to justice, viewed as untrustworthy, and victim-blamed at the extremes of sexual violence. It sends the message that crimes can be carried out with impunity.”
Complaints were received across 340 private and NHS hospitals between 2021 and 2023, according to figures from 41 police forces obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. Only 26 of these cases resulted in charges or summonses.
Police data does not include the number of convictions or whether charges were referred to the Crown Prosecution Service, the body that makes prosecution decisions.
Catriona Rubens, an associate lawyer in the abuse team at law firm Leigh Day, called on the government to introduce mandatory regulatory regimes for healthcare workers, similar to those for doctors and nurses.
Rubens said her team dealt with a case in which a medical assistant in an inpatient ward was able to flee using a false name and police were unable to track him down.
she said independent person: “Sadly, I think there can be an inherent bias against people with mental health conditions and whether they are believed by juries or not.”
She argued that this could influence CPS decision-making, as prosecutors need to consider whether there is a realistic prospect of conviction.
She added: “Not all of our clients want to pursue a conviction, also due to the fact that people are at a very vulnerable point in their lives when something like this happens.” Ta.
Figures revealed by The Independent show that police received more than 1,374 reports of rape and sexual assault in psychiatric hospitals over the past two years, but only 26 (less than 2%) were prosecuted. )was.
(Shutterstock/Voiroso)
Last year, following a series of stories by independent, Former Health Secretary Steve Barclay has launched a national review of mental health services. The review, which began this year, will also examine whether hospitals ensure the “sexual safety” of staff and patients.
But campaigners and patients are calling for a concrete investigation into sexual assault across the sector.
One patient, Kelly, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, said: independent person She was sexually assaulted five times while in the care of Gloucestershire Health and Care Foundation Trust.
In the first incident, which took place in June 2022, Kelly claims she was sexually assaulted by an unknown man in a cemetery across the street from the hospital. Distressed and confused, she called her ward to let them know what had happened, but apparently she was told she had to go back on her own.
Kelly’s family said police were not called for several hours after the alleged attack.
Kelly alleges that while she was at Wotton Lawn Hospital, she was sexually assaulted four more times in the presence of staff. She claims she was assaulted twice by male patients in the unisex courtyard. She said there were two other assaults by female patients on the ward.
“The staff assured me that they would be alert and keep me safe at all times. But they never did… they seemed to forget that. I had no support,” she said.
Ms Kelly said after each assault she was told by staff that they were indifferent and by police that nothing could be done because the accused patient was mentally ill. ”
Kelly and her parents have lodged a complaint with the trust, but have yet to hear the outcome of the investigation.
There have been 16 reports of rape or sexual assault linked to Wotton Lawn Hospital.
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Her stepfather said, “While some of the staff were great, multiple staff failed to keep patients safe even after the third assault occurred.”
According to Gloucestershire Police data, there were 28 reports of rape or sexual assault against hospitals run by GHC, 16 of which came from Wotton Lawn Hospital. No charges were filed.
Gloucestershire Health and Care said it could not discuss individual cases, but insisted it had reviews of all incidents, reporting processes and training to “minimize risks”.
Gloucester Police said 10 of the incidents reported at Wotton Lawn Hospital were confirmed without a suspect, 12 where the injured were unable to cooperate with the investigation, and four where the evidence was unreliable.
The force said it was working with the CPS to increase the number of rape cases successfully prosecuted and was an early adopter of the Home Office’s Operation Soteria. The operation will bring together police, academics and policy to strengthen the force’s response to rape and serious sexual activity. Violation (lasso).
A CPS spokesperson said the CPS takes all referrals very seriously and all cases of rape and sexual assault are considered by specialist prosecutors. If a subject has a mental health condition, that will be taken into account, but it is by no means an automatic defense and each case will be considered on its own merits.
In 2011, the government introduced new standards prohibiting the use of mixed-gender accommodation. Nevertheless, they are still used across NHS mental health services.
The Department of Health and Human Services said patients should not have to share sleeping areas and bathrooms and toilets should be separated. The guidelines regarding this are currently being updated.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has been contacted for comment.
If you need help with a sexual incident that happened without your consent, call Rape Crisis 24/7 on 0808 500 2222.
