Lincolnshire Police supports Op Soteria

Lincolnshire Police supports a new programme to tackle rape and serious sexual offences.

Operation Soteria is a national project which will ensure investigations are victim-centred and suspect-focused.

All 43 forces in England and Wales support the scheme, which launches today, Monday, 10 July, as we collectively look to combat violence against women and girls and keep our communities safe.

This commitment, alongside local initiatives such as Operation Safenight, StreetSafe, VAWG Voices and more, will help us tackle the ongoing challenges we face and deliver a better service.

Detective Chief Inspector Reid Martin, who works on protecting vulnerable people, said: “Investigating rape and sexual offences is a priority for Lincolnshire Police.

“We will do everything we can to protect the public and bring people who cause the most harm to justice.

“Reporting rapes and sexual offences is a big moment for a victim.

“We completely understand the significance this has, and we have specially trained officers here to support you in doing this.

“The pillars that support Operation Soteria are absolutely vital to the successful investigation of rape and sexual offences.

“We will be suspect focused, arresting and taking positive action with suspects to protect the public and victims.

“We will use data, forensics, and intelligence to track offenders down and prevent them from causing repeated harm.

“We will train our staff to have the right skills to investigate and we will support our teams to have a trauma-informed approach.

“And crucially we will support victims through the criminal justice journey with specially trained officers and work in partnership with sexual violence advocates and the Crown Prosecution Service.

“Doing all of this we will make improvements into our investigations, helping those in need and protecting the public from harm.”

Developed as part of the government’s end-to-end Rape Review, Operation Soteria is a Home Office funded research and change programme, led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).

Forces across the country worked with academics to help create the new programme and in the coming weeks, a joint Home Office and NPCC Unit, will begin overseeing its implementation.

As a force, we will be looking at our systems, the way we work and how we can improve after several forces have already piloted the scheme and seen positive signs of change.

Police say they will gain access to a bespoke hub which will include:

• guidance on identifying and disrupting repeat offenders
• support to improve decision making processes, assets to progress cases more effectively
• enable forces to better meet the needs of victims
• ensure investigative focus shifts to the actions of the suspect.

They say they are listening to victims and those who have voiced concerns about policing’s approach to rape and sexual offences and are determined to deliver the best service they can.