The charity says these delays are having a “devastating” impact on those awaiting justice, leading some to try and take their own lives because they felt the waiting would never end. Others have dropped out of the criminal justice system entirely after losing faith.

“The postponing and rescheduling of cases multiple times is devastating the mental wellbeing of victims and survivors: they are being harmed by the criminal justice system,” Jayne Butler, chief executive officer at Rape Crisis England and Wales said in a statement.

“On top of lengthy police investigations lasting years and long periods of hearing nothing, victims and survivors are facing their cases being rescheduled in the courts – often multiple times – or finding that they have not been informed about key developments, such as changes to trial dates,” she continued. “Whether intentional or not, this further marginalises victims and survivors who already feel deprioritised in an imbalanced system.”

Delays to rape trials are having a “devastating” impact on the mental health of victims