More than 37,000 women have been waiting over three years for police to act on sexual offence cases, according to shocking new figures. Amid this systemic failure, one survivor has shared her harrowing story of being assaulted, forgotten by the justice system, and left to fight for years to be heard.
A Relationship Turned to Terror
Clarice* was in a committed, co-habiting relationship in the summer of 2021. After confronting her partner about cheating, the situation escalated into a horrific sexual assault in their own home. She explicitly told him she did not want to be touched.
"I said no and explained the reason for the no… I'd felt uncomfortable with him even touching me," she recounted. Ignoring her protests, he moved closer, whispering, "Tell me that you don't want it," before viciously biting her shoulder.
Frozen with fear, Clarice's body shut down. "I just lay there," she said, her sole focus on survival. "I just kept thinking that it was going to end soon."
Silence, Shame, and a Chilling Revelation
In the aftermath, Clarice struggled to process the trauma. When she tentatively confided in a friend, the response was devastating. Her friend suggested the intercourse might have been sought "for validation" after the cheating discovery, leaving Clarice feeling "a bit disgusting in myself." She remained silent for months.
The breakthrough came when a stranger messaged her on social media. This woman had also been dating the same man. When they met, they discovered a shared history of his violence—Clarice's was sexual, the other woman's was physical. The other woman called the police.
During the police visit, an officer listened to the other woman's account and stated plainly, "You've been assaulted." The words hit Clarice like a physical blow. "It was only at that point that it hit me," she said. The man was arrested but later released on bail.
A System That Forgets Its Victims
Despite bail conditions, Clarice later saw him watching her outside a bar, causing sheer panic. Then, in November 2022, she was told her case was being dropped—"no further actioned"—due to an alleged lack of medical evidence. She believes police never passed her case to the Crown Prosecution Service.
This decision shattered her faith in the system. Diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), she said, "I would probably never report anything like this again to the police." She described the process as "like a merry-go-round that you’re never going to get off."
Her trauma intensified; numbness gave way to recurrent nightmares where she would relive the assault and feel the bite on her shoulder. Her world shrunk to her flat. "I didn't want anyone to speak to me. I didn't want anyone to look at me," she explained.
An Ongoing Ordeal and a Systemic Scandal
After escalating her complaint to Professional Standards, Clarice's case was reopened. The last time police contacted her was in September 2024. Meanwhile, three more women contacted her to report assaults by the same man.
"He's done it to at least four of us. He will do it again," Clarice warned. Her life remains constrained by fear, avoiding crowds where she might see him.
Her ordeal coincides with a rare super-complaint by survivor organisations, accusing police of systemic failure. Groups like Rape Crisis warn that delays are re-traumatising survivors and leaving alleged perpetrators free in the community.
A spokesperson for His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) stated: "Rape and serious sexual offences are devastating crimes that can have lifelong impacts... It is crucial that the police, together with other public services, do all they can to respond effectively." The inspectorate, alongside the College of Policing and Independent Office for Police Conduct, is jointly assessing the super-complaint.
If you have been affected by this story, contact Rape Crisis England & Wales on 0808 802 9999 or visit their website. In Scotland call 0808 801 0302. In Ireland, contact the Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline on 0808 802 1414.
*Name changed to protect anonymity.
