Five men arrested last month on suspicion of raping their partner or ex-partner

Five men were arrested last month on suspicion of raping their partners either during their relationship or after the relationship had ended.

Last year there were 306 crimes of rape recorded in Gloucestershire which were tagged as relating to domestic abuse.

One man was arrested last month after a report that he had raped his partner, physically assaulted her and took her bank cards.

Another man was arrested following a report that he had forced himself on the woman and raped her after she had told him that she did not want to have sex at that time.

It is believed that rapes committed by a partner or ex-partner are hugely underreported.

Superintendent Ian Fletcher said: “"We know that statistically it is more likely for a man to rape someone who they are either in a relationship with or previously have been.

"We've seen cases where men have raped their partners while they have slept, and in these domestic abuse related cases, the perpetrators have often subjected the victims to other kinds of physical, emotional and controlling abuse throughout a relationship.

"These types of crime are believed to be massively underreported, as victims often feel trapped and as though they would not be believed.

"We're trying to raise awareness of this type of crime to encourage victims to not suffer in silence and know that help is available." 

Sex without consent is rape, regardless of whether the perpetrator is in a relationship with the victim or not.

In February 198 people were arrested by Gloucestershire Police on suspicion of domestic abuse related offences, and 89 per cent of detainees were men.  

Of those arrested throughout the month, 100 of them were in connection with some form of physical assault against a partner, former partner or family member.

This includes a report that a 40-year-old man head butted his partner, that a 36-year-old man bit his partner and a report from shop workers to say a 24-year-old woman had been seen hitting her partner in the face.

Other offences include stalking, making threats to kill and breaches of bail conditions and court orders.

Every week throughout December last year Gloucestershire Police released details of the domestic abuse related arrests their officers had made across the county in a bid to show the prevalence of the problem.

The Force continues to release data monthly, and so far 442 people have been arrested in relation to domestic abuse related offences in the first two months of the year.

Domestic abuse describes a range of behaviours including physical or sexual abuse, violent or threatening behaviour, controlling or coercive behaviour as well as digital, economic, psychological and emotional abuse.

Supt Fletcher, Head of Serious and Complex Investigations, said: "While we know rape is underreported and understand that not everyone would want to report these crimes to the police, we want to highlight that there are other support services available.

"We hope releasing some information about the types of incidents reported to us may help encourage other victims and survivors to reach out for help, and not suffer alone in silence.

"We're committed to targeting perpetrators and using all measures necessary to stop their abuse and safeguard victims and survivors."

Professional support is available for anyone who has an abusive partner, former partner or relative – contact Gloucestershire Domestic Abuse Support Service on 01452 726 570 or email: [email protected]. More information is available on their website: https://www.gdass.org.uk/

Hope House Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) is a service in Gloucestershire which offers medical care as well as emotional and practical support to anyone who has experienced sexual violence or abuse.

The SARC has a team of specially trained and dedicated Crisis Workers and Forensic Nurse Examiners who understand how difficult it can be to talk about what has happened if someone has sexually assaulted you.

Their service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and you can contact the SARC even if you have not reported an incident to the police. They can store samples for two years which means you can report an incident to police, if you wish, at a later date.

For more information about the SARC, including what to expect if you go to Hope House and what a forensic medical examination involves, visit their website: https://www.hopehouse.nhs.uk/sarc/

The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme gives any member of the public the right to ask the police if their partner may pose a risk to them. It is often called 'Clare's Law' after the landmark case that led to it.

This scheme also allows a member of the public to make an enquiry into the partner of a close friend or family member. For more information on this visit: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/daa/domestic-abuse/alpha2/request-information-under-clares-law/

To report a domestic abuse related incident call police on the non-emergency number 101. In an emergency, or if the incident is ongoing, always call 999.