Rape and sex offence specialists on all police forces by 2027, PM says

The UK government has announced plans to introduce rape and sex offence specialists to every police force in England and Wales by the end of 2027, according to Prime Minister Andy Burnham. This accelerated rollout, which is 18 months faster than originally planned, aims to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG) more effectively.

The Home Office had initially announced the scheme last year, with a target of having teams in place by summer 2029. However, Burnham stated that the previous plans were too slow and that the government must be laser-focused on addressing these crimes.

Ministers are also allocating additional funding to certain forces to enhance protection orders, which involve electronic monitoring, exclusion zones, and other measures. Ten police forces across England and Wales will receive a share of a £13.3m pot to boost these teams.

While charities like Refuge have welcomed the changes, they argue that the measures represent only a small portion of what is needed to fully support survivors. Refuge's head of policy and public affairs, Ellie Butt, emphasized the need for genuine efforts to build women's and girls' confidence in policing and ensure abuse does not go unreported.

Despite the government's efforts, domestic abuse commissioner Nicole Jacobs cautioned that not excluding domestic abusers from the scheme could put victims' lives at risk. Jacobs emphasized the importance of ensuring no abuser is released unless she is confident that victims' safety is not compromised.