Sleeping Around: Are women still afraid to report rape?
A story in today's Indy says that three members of the Welsh assembly have disclosed in a questionnaire that they have been raped, and none of them reported the crime to police. Even more shocking is the larger study by Amnesty International and NUS Wales was that, of more than 700 students, a third believed a woman was totally or partially responsible for being raped or sexually assaulted if she was drunk or had been flirtatious.
It is horrifying to me that women can still be accused of "asking for it" because they had too much to drink or wore a short skirt.
Drinking may increase a chance of rape, but that's true for both men and women. In fact, studies show that it's more likely that a rapist has been drinking than his victim - and that drinking alcohol may cause men to reinterpret a woman's behaviour as a sign of her desire to have sex with him.
Everyone needs to be responsible for his or her own personal safety, but while we constantly remind women to not drink too much, why aren't we telling men not be too smashed to make sure that they have consent?
Most depressing: if our politicians are afraid of reporting a crime for fear of being publicly shamed and having their sexual histories called into question, what chance do the rest of us have?
I think that most woman arent emotionnally and physcially secure after being attacked or raped. I was physcially attacked last year in the subway. I went to the cops and reported the assault, but they did not do anything. They walked around trying to find the guy that had left 10 minutes ago, in a subway station pack with people. Since then, i never heard from the police again, never had a phone call what so ever. I still have trouble taking the subway, i try to fight the idea that it will probably never happen again , but what if!?
For sure some women do not report being attack, seing the way the police reacts. There is not that many options left for us to use.
Be careful
AM
Posted by: Audrey M | Thursday, 03 July 2008 at 12:30 AM
There is another prejudice you don't mention. I am "fortunate" in that the woman who chose to make a malicious false allegation against me chose the mild end of the spectrum that runs from harassment through sexual assault to rape. But we all know that false accusations are made all the way along that spectrum. And because of my experiences at that time, I know that if I found myself on a rape jury, I would find it extremely difficult to prevent those experiences from colouring my judgement.
I do believe that the women who make such accusations are as much to blame for the low rates of reporting, charging, and prosecution as any other cause.
Posted by: Ian Kemmish | Thursday, 03 July 2008 at 09:20 AM
Apprently only 5% of rapes ever end in conviction.
Why are you suprised?
As for false claims...many are wrongly accused of many different crimes, its no reason to stop investigating them properly.
Posted by: ayla | Thursday, 03 July 2008 at 10:55 AM
One thing that really should be cleared up, with new legislation if necessary, is anonymity. The accuser, the defendant and (if they want it) any witnesses should be kept out of the press unless the trial ends with a conviction. Trial by media isn't just embarrasing, it can destroy lives regardless of any verdict.
Posted by: Chris | Thursday, 03 July 2008 at 11:43 AM
I have noticed in the last ten years, an increasing amount of misogynistic behaviour from both men and women. Simulataneously, society has become conformist and unquestioning of the policies post 9/11 that have created a pseudo police state and celebrity blandness has taken over what used to be a free and libertarian culture.
Anyone who speaks out is not taken seriously unless they are very rich, or famous or both.
Ian, the false allegation made against you can hardly justify the real attacks that happen to women who are then further shamed, victimised and blamed for the attack. I wish that men who are falsely accused would say, "I am not a rapist, but the likelihood is that I may know someone who has raped or forced a woman into sexual contact against her will".
I know far more women who have been molested or threatened than women who "falsely accuse". It actually amuses me how vocal men are about false accusations, compared to how quiet you are about real women who experience abuse every day.
You are in a privileged position, why not use it to support real victims than tarnish all women with that "hysterical" brush?
Posted by: Carmen Jones | Thursday, 03 July 2008 at 11:51 AM
This situation of not reporting accurately reflects my experience of rape. I have two close friends who have never reported their rape experiences either. The only friend who did report her experience to the police (17years ago) was told it would not stand up in court as there were two assailents (squaddies) and it was her word against theirs. Tragic.
False accusations? Unfortunate in this violent, angry, disrespectful society but no worse I'm afraid than the many shameful experiences that go unreported.
Centuries of women being demonised by society for their behaviour continue in contemporary mainstream news reporting, from drinking or sexual proflicacy through to divorce cases. Extreme violence sells in 18 films and console games and instant gratification, sexual or otherwise is the social norm eminating from the sleazy best selling tabloids and lads mags.
Yet young people remain unhappy with the content and quality of sex & relationship education in our schools. As decades of inadequate education, debate and acceptance about a fundamental biological imperative continue to reverberate through society.
Posted by: Karen | Friday, 04 July 2008 at 10:19 AM
I place little stock in conclusory characterizations of persons who assert they were raped since it is apparent most people have misconceptions about the legal definition of consent. To know if a rape occurred, we need to know the facts underlying it, and we need to hear from both women and men. First, if a woman is intoxicated, she may or may not be sufficently able to manifest valid, legal consent. She may not be permitted to drive a car but she may be perfectly capable of consenting to sexual relations. Second, the test isn't premised on the woman's subjective experience, it is this: Would a person in the position of the male reaonably believe that the woman has objectively manifested her knowing assent to sexual relations -- the consent need not be "enthusiastic" as some feminists wrongly assert (have you ever seen a couple trying to have a baby? It is often anything but enthusiastic), and it need not be verbal (it hardly ever is). And it makes no difference if she is secretly, subjectively conflicted, or if she excperiences after-the-fact, belated, ex post facto remorse that leads her to regret the experience and to fasely cry rape. Sexual assault studies need to test the facts on the legal test -- which is from the perspective of the alleged perpetrator, not the purported victim.
Women need to be taught what rape is as much as men because objectively verifiable data suggests that at least 9 percent and probably closer to half of all rape claims are false. Yet the crime of making a false rape report has become so embroiled in the feminist sexual assault milieu that it has been largely, and improperly, removed from the public discourse about rape. Sexual assault counselors often disingenuously refer to false accusations as a "myth." Denigrating the experience of the falsely accused by dismissing their victimization as a myth is not merely dishonest but morally grotesque. My Web site is devoted to raising awareness about ralse and unfounded rape claims. http://falserapesociety.blogspot.com/
Posted by: FalseRapeAcrhivist | Saturday, 05 July 2008 at 09:38 PM
If men are so sure that rape can be falsely reported or that it can be "misunderstood" it is imperative that men make sure get explicit consent. (even if it means asking an awkward question)
If as you say, so many women lie about rape it is your responsibility to protect your self and make sure that you know you are not violating a women and putting yourself in a dangerous position.
That being said, in all circumstances (even in those of traffic court) in any case of any infringement -ignorance is not a defense.
Check twice- or three times and be careful
More importantly if the woman experiences symptoms of rape-she deals with the repercussions and the mental insecurity of not knowing if she is safe
This feeling of insecurity can not be given back to her because she may not have been as explicit as the other partner may have wished.
Posted by: Falserapeacrhivist- (who is using technical legal terms to find loopholes in crime) | Saturday, 03 January 2009 at 06:50 PM
This blog attempts to encourage prosecution of women for attempting to report a crime.
It is as absurd as requiring a person to be punished for reporting a mugging (under the pretext that the person did not check to see if he deserved their money.)
Posted by: yourblogshouldbeofftheinternet | Saturday, 03 January 2009 at 06:59 PM