New figures show wide variations in the way police record and classify rape allegations across the 43 police forces in England and Wales.
The Inspectorate of Constabulary, which compiled the data, said there may be a "culture of disbelief" in some forces where recorded rapes were very low.
The highest number of recorded adult rapes - 34.8 per 100,000 adult population - was in Northamptonshire.
By contrast, the lowest figure was 9.8 per 100,000 adults in Durham.
'Losing confidence'The Inspectorate of Constabulary, which is an independent overseer of police, said the figures - for the 12 months to the end of March 2013 - indicated how different police forces were responding to rape.
But it warned that the numbers did not tell the full story. A higher figure for recorded rapes did not necessarily mean that more rapes were being committed and a lower figure fewer.
Analysis
At a time when crime figures are under intense scrutiny over claims they've been fiddled or manipulated to meet performance targets, these statistics will spark fresh concerns about the way rape allegations are logged and classified.
Although the data must be treated with caution - because of the small number of offences in some constabularies - police and crime commissioners, victims groups and ministers will be searching for explanations for some of the huge disparities.
How can it be that Lincolnshire police chalked off one-third of rapes reported to them (a proportion that's been steadily rising) while police concluded that "no crime" had been committed in only three in every 100 in Cumbria?
What's behind the large variation in detection rates between forces - from six to 32%? And is confidence among victims in the way they'll be treated the reason why the number of recorded rape allegations appears to be so inconsistent?
It said: "Increases in the number of rapes being recorded may mean that victims feel more confident in reporting what happened to them; or decreases may mean that victims are losing confidence in the authorities to treat them sensitively."
Inspector of Constabulary Dru Sharpling said there may be a range of explanations for regional variations in recorded rapes but that questions over victims being disbelieved had to be raised.
Policing practice developer Helen Hopwood said the figures highlighted "inconsistencies between forces about the outcome of rape investigations".
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Martin Hewitt, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Metropolitan Police: ''My priority is victim confidence, to come forward and report to the police''
"This must be tackled," she said.
Victim support groups say victims need to know they will be taken seriously and treated sensitively as it takes a great deal of courage to come forward.
Liz Kelly, chairwoman of the End Violence Against Women coalition, said: "The wide disparities between different areas' reporting rates may indicate that the culture of scepticism remains in some police forces.
"This is not a surprise to us. Our member organisations know how deep disbelief and victim-blaming goes in institutions and communities.
Adult rapes recorded per 100,000 adult population: Highest
- Northamptonshire
- Metropolitan Police (London)
- North Wales
- Devon & Cornwall
- Greater Manchester
"But the police play a critical role enabling rape survivors to access justice, so these disparities and attitudes must be urgently tackled."
Adult rapes recorded per 100,000 adult population: Lowest
- Durham
- Surrey
- Hertfordshire
- Dyfed-Powys
- Lincolnshire
Source: Inspectorate of Constabulary
Some campaigners also argue it is more important to measure the number of rape convictions than recorded rapes.
The number of recorded rapes of both adults and children has risen steadily since 2008.
In the 12 months to March 2013, there were about 10,000 recorded rapes of adults in England and Wales, and 6,000 recorded rapes of children, up from about 6,000 and 5,000 respectively in 2008/09.
The average is 22 rapes recorded per 100,000 adults.
The highest recorded child rape rate was 106 per 100,000 in Humberside. Hertfordshire had the lowest at 28, against an average for England and Wales of 59.5 per 100,000.
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Norman Baker, Crime Prevention Minister: "I want to make sure (victims) are taken seriously"
Despite being the force that recorded the lowest number of adult rapes, the data revealed Durham Police had highest "sanction detection rate". The number of rapes recorded by the force that ended in a caution or charge was at 32%, compared with an average of 18%.
Meanwhile, the data also showed that Lincolnshire Police had the highest rate - 33% - of offences initially recorded as a rape but later declassified. Only 3% of rapes reported to police in Cumbria were "no-crimed", the lowest of any force.
Lincolnshire also declassified 19% of reported child rapes, compared to the national average of 5%.
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