Rape cases do not make it to court

6 March 2007

BRUSSELS – The number of rape cases brought to court increased by 30 percent between 2000 and the end of 2005. No less than 43 percent of these cases have been dismissed.

The court was given a total of 17,301 rape cases to process between 2000 and the end of 2005. The number per year increased annually until 2004, but between 2004 and the end of 2005 the number fell slightly, by 1.8 percent. The figures only include rape cases in which the perpetrator was of age.

Of the 17,301 cases, only 17 percent had been referred to the criminal court by 10 July 2006. And 43 percent was simply dismissed. And that number could still increase, since investigation is still pending in 10 percent of the cases.

Why does the court fail to follow up on so many rape cases? In 49.5 percent of the dropped cases there was not enough evidence to bring the case to criminal court, in 19 percent the perpetrators could not be identified, and 12 percent of the cases involved a complaint, but a crime had not actually been committed.

Subject: Belgian news