Sexual violence
Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FIN/25/004042/T
Version Date: 30/12/2025
The Crime and Criminal Justice Department has provided the following information:
- Which unit or units in your force are responsible for investigating cases of intimate partner sexual violence (i.e. cases where the sexual offences occurred within a context of domestic abuse from an intimate parter and/or where a victim has reported both domestic abuse and sexual offences by the same perpetrator)?
The allocation of investigations is based upon the PIP grading of the offence type as stated in the Force Crime and Investigation Policy.
- PIP level 1 – priority and volume crime investigations
- PIP level 2 – serious and complex investigations
- PIP level 3 – major investigations
- PIP level 4 – strategic management of highly complex investigations.
The Force has a criminal investigation department for PIP2 crimes, a Child Abuse Investigation Team for PIP2 serious sexual offences against children and a Major Crime Team for Stranger Rapes where the investigations meet the PIP3 criteria. Otherwise investigations are held by PIP1 investigations with patrol, neighbourhood teams or volume crime (prisoner handling teams).
2. If the answer to question 1 is more than one unit, how are cases allocated between units?
Investigations are allocated according to the crime and investigation policy/ procedure, see answer to question 1 above.
3. Please provide a copy of any internal force policy relating to the issues in questions 1 and 2.
Relevant sections of the crime and investiagation policy (Version 1.0 of 19/11/2024) are included below.
4.8 Outcome 22
The Home Office defines Outcome 22 as when:
“Diversionary, educational or intervention activity, resulting from the
crime report, has been undertaken and it is not in the public interest to
take any further action”.
The use of Outcome 22 is currently restricted to cases reviewed by the Youth Justice
Team (YJT) where young persons have completed a diversionary course. Expansion
of this outcome will only be considered by the executive at the Force Operational
Board.
4.9 Allocation
4.9.1 PIP
Staff must always consider the needs of victims and the complexities of cases. Officers with the right skills and experience can then be matched to the needs of the investigation and, importantly, to the needs of the victim and witnesses. Some victims have more complicated needs, requiring special measures and an enhanced service. Please refer to Working with victims and witnesses | College of Policing
It is recognised that older people are more likely to have needs that are different from those of some younger victims. These could include:
- help in giving their evidence by way of visual recording.
- the lack of mental capacity to make decisions at the time they are needed.
- the need for a registered intermediary; and/or
- adjustments to account for disabilities.
These circumstances of older victims can add complexities to an investigation. Some require specific skills and training. If these are not considered when a crime is allocated for investigation, it is possible that the investigating officer will not be able to deal with the case as well as they could.
The aim of the PIP is to ensure that staff are trained, skilled and accredited to conduct the highest quality investigations. It was originally introduced as a national policing CBA lead project, commissioned by the Home Office working in partnership with the College of Policing and Skills for Justice. The PIP structure involves a series of levels:
• PIP level 1 – priority and volume crime investigations
• PIP level 2 – serious and complex investigations
• PIP level 3 – major investigations
• PIP level 4 – strategic management of highly complex investigations.
PIP identifies key learning and development for investigators in new or specialised roles, and standards of competences in investigation and interviewing. These are now established within a suite of national occupational standards (NOS).
See the relevant APP Investigation introduction | College of Policing for detailed information.
- Does your force currently have:
a) a dedicated RASSO unit
No. Investigations are held generally by criminal investigation teams (CID) or Child abuse investigation teams (CAIT).
b) a dedicated domestic abuse unit
No. See response to question 1 above.
5. Please could you provide answers to questions 1 to 4 above on the arrangements within your force in January 2022.
There has been no significant change in these arrangements since 2022.