Why do the police ALWAYS seek the easy way out ?

With the law as it stands, misunderstandings and mistakes can be revised as vicious attacks and attempts.
And that's without taking into consideration revenge or greed or delusion or exaggeration.
And Max Clifford....

These "rapists" may include a 16 year old boy with a 15 year old girlfriend who is only 3 weeks younger then him. It is officially statutary rape but none of us would wish to see a boy sent to prison for such a relationship (I hope).

The word "rapist" is probably used too freely. If there were serious rapists being cautioned I'm sure at least one of the tabloids would have been on their trail by now, with monster banner headlines.

I think you will find that the girl has to be under 13 (not 16) for it to be statutory rape ... over 13 and it's underage sex.

Thats one side of the argument, but many women are stuck in abusive relationships. They are living with men who abuse them verbally and physically. They are made to feel like drudges and it is very difficult for them to get out of these relationships because they have no where to go, and their confidence is probably so low that they find it difficult to make the move.

It is highly unlikey for someone to get cautioned for under age sex with someone when the age difference is very snall. As regards unconsential sex if there is unconsential sex than that is very wrong no matter what the age difference is

Not so long ago a 16 year old boy in my region was cautioned, and ostracised from his community, for having sex with his 15 year old girlfriend. This was because her parents made a complaint. He's now on the sex offenders register for the next five years. So, it does happen.

Don't forget the men who are also stuck in abusive relationships. Battered husbands are so often ignored.

..and most often not going to be believed.
Well pointed out.

Good point

There are two sides to every story