Rape Myths

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In Scotland, only 2.9% of rapes recorded by the police currently lead to a conviction, and the humiliation experienced by female complainers in court is well documented.

Despite recent efforts to help women who have been raped to receive justice, societal attitudes continue to play a significant role in limiting justice for women who have experienced this crime.

Several reviews (including one by the Crown Office in Scotland) and other pieces of research conducted over the last few years have highlighted consistently and alarmingly a range of prejudicial attitudes held by the public which blame women for their victimisation and compound an already traumatic experience by attributing the assault in whole or in part to some aspect of their demeanour or behaviour.

This is particularly true where women have been drinking before being raped, if they dress in a manner deemed to be ‘provocative’, or if they have engaged in some level of intimacy with their attacker before an assault. Women who suffer rape in the context of a marriage or other intimate partnership are also seriously disadvantaged by public attitudes, which often support the view that by entering into this marriage or relationship, they have somehow given up their right to refuse consent to sex.

The myth persists that only rape by a stranger counts as ‘real rape’, in spite of the fact that the vast majority of attacks are carried out by someone known to the victim, (often her husband or partner) and are every bit as damaging.

Women NEVER invite rape, whatever relationship they are in, whatever decisions they have made around drink or dress and whatever level of intimacy they have already engaged in with their attackers. We need to replace the blame and condemnation we currently offer to women who have been raped with support and justice. And we need to assign responsibility where it really belongs – with rapists.

MYTH

Rape is commited by crazed strangers

FACT

most women are raped by “normal” acquaintances

MYTH

A woman who gets raped deserved it, esspeically if she agreed to get in his car or go to his home

FACT

No one deserves to be raped. Being in someones car of home is not the same as agreeing to have sex

MYTH

Women who don’t fight back have not been raped

FACT

To be raped means to be forced into sex against your will, weither you fight or not

MYTH

If there is no gun or knife you have notbeen raped

FACT

It’s rape no matter how the rapist forces you to have sex with them. They could use a weapon, their fists, verbal threats, drugs, alcohol, physical isolation, or even just his own weight to overcome you.

MYTH

It’s not rape if the person was not a virgin.

FACT

Firstly… what the hell people???? Secondly rape is rape

MYTH

If a man buys a woman dinner then she owes him

FACT

No one owes sex as payment to anyone, no matter how expensive the date.

MYTH

Agreeing to kissing or having sex on a previous occation with them is the same as agreeing to have intercourse

FACT

Everyone has the right to say “NO” to sexual activity, regardles of what has preceded it