Layla Ibrahim is Innocent

Layla Ibrahim was attacked by two strangers in 2009 while walking home after a night out. She was 21. She was knocked to the ground, lost consciousness, and sustained injuries to her head, face, breasts and vagina. She reported the assault right away. Witnesses told police they had seen men who looked like her attackers – they were ignored. A blond pubic hair found on Ms Ibrahim, who has dark hair, was destroyed during the investigation. Clothes were not properly tested for DNA.

The police already knew Ms Ibrahim’s family as they had suffered racist attacks and complained about biased officers.

Instead of pursuing Ms Ibrahim’s attackers, the police accused her of fabricating her injuries and pressed her to retract her allegation. She refused. She was prosecuted for perverting the course of justice and sentenced to three years in prison. She was seven months pregnant at the time (not from the rape) and was able to keep her child in prison with her. She has since been released.

Ms Ibrahim is not the only one. One in three women suffers rape or domestic violence. 90% of perpetrators get away with it. But women who report risk being disbelieved and even jailed: 109 women were prosecuted in the past five years.

Ms Ibrahim’s attackers have never been identified but similar attacks have been reported before and after in that area.

Ms Ibrahim has applied for the Criminal Cases Review Commission to reopen her case so her conviction can be overturned and her rapists caught.