[TW for rape/rape statistics]

thosearestrings:

Relationships: In 2002 the UK Home Office published the findings of a British Crime Survey to which 6,944 women had responded. Nearly half (45%) of rapes reported to the survey were committed by perpetrators who were victims’ partners at the time of the attack. (As of 2010 this has now gone up to an astonishing 54%). Strangers were responsible for only 8% of rapes reported to the survey. 

Drinking: Research with mock juries has demonstrated that people are more likely to blame women for rape if they have been drinking (Wenger & Bornstein, 2006).

Intimacy: A survey of 986 Scots carried out by TNS System Three in February 2008 for the Scottish Government found that if a woman was flirting before being sexually attacked, 25% of adults under 24 believe she should be held at least partly responsible, but among those aged 65 and over, that rose to 50%.

Dress: A fifth of the broad cross-section of the Scottish population (700 interviewees) who took part in research carried out by Progressive on behalf of Rape Crisis Scotland in August 2007 believed that women contribute to rape if they wear revealing clothing.

So a newer version of this campaign popped up on my dash recently which got me thinking. A couple of years ago Rape Crisis Scotland put billboards up all across Scotland with the above posters. I remember sitting on a bus and seeing the one of the braless woman (ingeniously put up next to a high school, I might add) and doing a double take because holy shit that’s effective. The campaign “this is not an invitation to rape me” was something I’d never seen before but god almighty, was it long overdue. Finally a campaign that not only caught the average passer-by’s attention but once which challenged the really crazy misconceptions of rape. It’s since been followed up by the equally effective “Not Ever” campaign. 

As great as these campaigns are however, the sad truth is that the conviction rate for rape in Scotland is just 3%. Three fucking per cent. Equally horrifying? I was on a Child Protection course recently and found out that the conviction rate for child abuse is also less than 5%.

It really does make you wonder why the most vulnerable people in this country are continually being let down by the justice system.

All images and quotes taken from: http://www.thisisnotaninvitationtorapeme.co.uk