CPS rape-flagged data are dependent upon lawyers and administrative staff correctly identifying applicable cases and flagging these on the Case Management System (CMS). These data are accurate only to the extent that flags have been correctly applied.
A rape offence flag may be applied at the beginning of a case, or applied later in the prosecution process if evidence of rape becomes apparent. The rape flag will remain in place, even if the decision is taken to charge an offence other than rape. This is why the cases are referred to as rape-flagged rather than rape.
(Data from the CSEW and MoJ are classified as National Statistics. Data from the CPS are sourced from administrative datasets that do not fall within the scope of official statistics.)