Cheshire Police's final feature on the serious crime of rape

APART from murder, rape is among the most serious crimes investigated by Cheshire Police.

This is why the Force commits a large amount of resources to rape inquiries and conducts thorough investigations, reacting quickly to reports for the protection of the victim as well as other members of the public.

As crime manager for the Northern Area, Detective Chief Inspector Judi Heaton oversees rape investigations in Halton and Warrington.

"Rape is a traumatic experience for the victim and this type of crime is taken very seriously by our team of dedicated detectives who make every effort to prosecute the person responsible," she said.

"Victims of rape should not be afraid to come forward to police and tell us what's happened. The sooner an offence is reported the greater the chance we have of bringing the perpetrator to justice."

The circumstances surrounding an incident of rape can vary. However, most reports that police receive involve an offender who is known to the victim as an acquaintance. Rape by a stranger is extremely rare.

And while incidents do occur, the intentional spiking of people's drinks - more commonly known as 'drug rape' - is also extremely rare in Halton and Warrington. This reflects the national picture highlighted in a recent report by the Forensic Science Service (FSS).

DCI Heaton said: "This latest research has shown that of more than 1,000 tested samples three per cent were found to contain evidence of date rape drugs such as Rohypnol, but the drug that featured most was alcohol."

Alcohol is often a big factor in allegations of rape where people have drunk large amounts and are then unsure whether they gave consent for sexual activity, or not.

"The fact that some people do act on impulse while drunk, and later regret the decision, can complicate the investigation of reported rapes, but the issue is whether the person gave informed consent.

"It is becoming increasingly cheaper to buy alcohol and usually it's not the lower strength booze on special offer in pubs and bars - it's vodka and alcopops. This can leave people vulnerable. Senior officers within the Northern Area are looking at the night time economy, the impact extended licensing hours could have on people's drinking behaviour and what we as police can do to make sure licensees do not encourage binge drinking. But ultimately it's about people taking responsibility for how much they have to drink."

DCI Heaton added: "There are things people can do to keep themselves and their friends safe. By all means go out for a night out and have fun, but look out for one another and don't get into situations where you could lose your ability to make sensible decisions.

"And if you have been raped don't be afraid of coming forward to police as every report is taken seriously and will be investigated with the same commitment whatever the circumstances. There are specially trained officers who can provide help and support- you will be treated with compassion and sensitivity."