The police rape interview that shocked 1980s Britain

The UK government apologised last week for the fall in rape convictions to a record low.

Nearly 40 years ago, how the police investigated rape was also under the spotlight. In 1982 the BBC broadcast a documentary called A Complaint of Rape. It was part of a fly-on-the-wall series about the police, in which officers were filmed aggressively questioning a woman about her allegation of rape.

It made news around the world and prompted Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to question the procedure as well as the attitude of those involved. The woman was asked personal questions about her sex life, menstruation and her mental health. The officers told her directly that they didn’t believe her claim. It led individual police forces to reassess the way they investigated allegations of rape.

The BBC team behind the programme included Roger Graef, Charles Stewart and Malcolm Hirst. Roger Graef spoke to Witness History about the film.