A new code of practice (CoP) will limit police powers to conduct "digital strip searches" of the victims of sexual assault. The CoP is part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Act, which was laid in Parliament on 17 October 2020. The government hopes its actions increase confidence in the criminal justice system and improve the quality of rape investigations by limiting mobile phone extraction powers. Under the new CoP, police are required to inform victims why they want their mobile phones and explain what information they seek. Victims must also be made aware that they can refuse without affecting whether their case is automatically dropped.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding Mims Davies said, "It is vital victims are treated with utmost sensitivity and respect when reporting crimes, so that more victims feel able to come forward. These new measures are part of our commitment to ensuring police investigate crimes against women and girls thoroughly, with a clear focus on the suspect, not the victim."
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