Recorded rapes have increased by 15%, but recent figures show only one-third of cases referred to the CPS led to charges being brought. ‘Rebecca’ discusses her experience, while the Guardian’s Alexandra Topping looks at why prosecution rates have dropped. Plus: Julia Finch on Mark Carney’s warning that global banks cannot afford to ignore climate change

Warning: this episode contains upsetting and explicit descriptions of sexual violence.

When Rebecca (not her real name) was allegedly raped by a man she had been dating, she was told by the police she had a strong case. But months later, the Crown Prosecution Service dropped it and she was left devastated. Rape complaints are on the rise – up by 15% – but the prosecution rate in England and Wales has fallen to a five-year low. Figures show that more than a third of the rape cases referred to the CPS between April and September 2018 resulted in charges being brought, compared with 62% in 2013-2014.

The Guardian’s senior reporter Alexandra Topping talks to Rebecca about her experience, and the impact the CPS decision to drop her case had on her life. Topping also talks to India Rakusen about her reporting which revealed that prosecutors in England and Wales have been urged to take a more risk-averse approach in rape cases to help stem widespread criticism of the service’s low conviction rates. The furore over plummeting prosecution rates has prompted the Home Office to launch a comprehensive review of how rape cases are dealt with across the criminal justice system.

Plus: The Guardian’s business editor Julia Finch on why Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, is warning the financial sector they can no longer ignore climate change.

If you have been affected by anything you have heard in this podcast, you can talk to Rape Crisis on 0808 802 9999 (England and Wales) or 08088 01 03 02 (Scotland) or go to rapecrisis.org.uk. The Samaritans are available in the UK 24 hours a day on 116 123 or at www.samaritans.org