Women 'get blame for being raped'

[Viking]

Women 'get blame for being raped'

 

A third of people believe a woman is partially or completely responsible for being raped if she has behaved flirtatiously, a survey suggests.

The Amnesty International poll of 1,000 people also found over 25% believe she is at least partly to blame if she has worn revealing clothing or been drunk.

 

Amnesty said the findings were "truly shocking" and showed the government's policies on tackling rape were failing.

 

The Home Office says it has changed the law to try to improve conviction rates.

 

"We have made a number of changes to the legal system and to how the police and Crown Prosecution Service work, to put victims needs first and to make it easier for cases to get to trial and secure convictions," a spokesman said.

 

"We are determined to close the gap between the increasing number of rape cases reported and the low number of convictions."

 

However, the Amnesty poll, carried out by ICM, found that most people in Britain had no idea how many women were raped every year in the UK or how few of the cases reported to police resulted in a conviction.

 

Almost all, 96%, said they either did not know the true extent of rape or thought it was far lower than the true figure. Just 4% thought the number of women raped exceeded 10,000.

 

'Disturbing attitudes'

 

The number of recorded rapes of women in 2004/5 was 12,867 - up 4% on the year before - although police estimate that just 15% of rapes come to their attention. Only 6% of reported rapes result in a conviction.

 

Amnesty International UK director Kate Allen said the poll, part of its Stop Violence Against Women campaign, had uncovered "disturbing attitudes".

 

She said: "It is shocking that so many people will lay the blame for being raped at the feet of women themselves and the government must launch a new drive to counteract this sexist 'blame culture'."

 

The research exposed the scale of public ignorance over rape as well as the "dreadfully low" conviction rates, she added.

 

'Devastating effect'

 

"The government has an international duty to prevent this gross human rights violation yet it's clear that the government's policies on tackling rape are failing and failing badly."

 

Joanna Perry, policy manager at Victim Support, said it was alarming to read that so many people appeared to believe that a woman was responsible for inviting a rape or sexual assault.

 

"Rape is an appalling crime and has a devastating effect on victims and those close to them. In other words, nobody asks to be raped," she added.

 

And Ruth Hall, from the support group Women Against Rape, criticised "prejudices" in the court system.

 

"They still put the woman on trial, including her sexual history with other men, which is supposed to be banned and blame the woman for what happened to her and hold her accountable," she said.

 

 

What is your reaction to this survey?

 

 

Story from BBC NEWS: Source!

 

 

Published: 2005/11/21 03:51:24 GMT

 

© BBC MMV

[Cara.]

Not particularly surprising. That a third of respondents believe a woman is to blame for being raped only means that two thirds do not believe she's responsible, even if she was drunk or acting flirtatious. That's probably an improvement from earlier eras, and certainly better than the figure would be for Somalis. Sometimes these alarmist polls are not so alarming...

 

The number of recorded rapes of women in 2004/5 was 12,867 - up 4% on the year before

Here in the US, rape and other violent crimes has been on the downswing lately.

 

Only 6% of reported rapes result in a conviction.

This is the most depressing statistic but it probably has more to do with practicalities of evidence requirements than any deep-seated discrimination.

[Castro]

^ I agree with Callypso that it's depressing the conviction rate. I'd just like to add that rape (as it exists in the animal kingdom) is a form of reproduction. Yes, it sounds unbelievable but males of inferior genes that normally would have much difficulty finding a willing and suitable mate use rape as means to propagate their seed. Even at a 5% success rate (studied in ducks) it is far greater than the 0% these inferior males normally face. It may be that, on a basic level, male humans use rape for the same purpose. Ultimately though it is a display and projection of power. For as there are inferior males, there also exists inferior femals that can't use rape as a form of reproduction.

 

The attitudes about rape are changing but we all know "wixii xunba Xaawaa leh". These studies just go to show that ingrained belief.

[SeeKer]

I think the survey holds some truth for me. Suprising as it may seem I think we would like to say that people shouldn't assume about a person by looking at them. Some of the clothes and behaviours that women exhibit in these day of age seek attention. They might want good attention (to get a husband) but most of the time get bad attention (sexual harrasment, rape et al). Respect yourself to the point you are not sending signals and I am sure there will be no unwarranted attention drawn to you.

 

Other side of the arguement though I think the police tend to not believe victims when they come forward to report rapes. I think they need a review in the way they deal with rape victims because like it or not it take guts for a woman to publicize her "shame".

 

**Thats my story and I am sticking to it**

[Castro]

^ I reject your story (respectfully, of course). If that were true, what you said about appearence, then the perpetrator is taken off the hook and the victim is the guilty party. It's like saying kids in swim suits attract attention from pedophiles therefore kids should swim in full body armor. Catch my drift?

[SeeKer]

For every action there is a reaction sxb There are inconstistancies in this arguement but for the most part it holds water. I am in no way advocating that the perp. have no blame in this but I beleive the blame Most of the time can be split between the two.

 

If you can't hold your alcohol don't drink to the point u lose control. If you do not want to get wolf whistles and leers do not dress in a provocative manner. If your end gain is to look good, there is plenty of clothing lines that make you look sexy without plunging neck lines and skirts that don't allow you to bend over :rolleyes:

 

Ps:- the perp is totally to blame when the woman had nothing to do to draw such attention. There was a girl who was raped in Egypt who wore nikab I believe. These guys should be punished in the severest way possible.

 

Catch my drift?

[Castro]

^ So now how we dress is what causes rape? Do you understand the ramifications of what you're saying? Most rape occurs between people who know each other so your low-cut, thong-showing jeans argument is out the door. Second, society finds women to share the "50%" of blame because society judges women on a different scale than men. You ought to know that, woman!

 

And your drift is hot air, I don't wanna catch it!

[SeeKer]

Moot point sxb. Here are the current stats.

 

28% of rape victims are raped by husbands/boyfriends.

31 % of rape victims are raped by strangers.

90% of rape occured when either victim or attacker is drinking.

 

Now Castro I am not trying to change society in any way. I go by the mantra of prevention is better than cure. I feel for those women that are raped I just have grievances with the ones that tempt the devil so to speak when they don't need to.

[Castro]

How is it a moot point? Your dubious stats, for you've provided no reference, indicate that if 31% of women are raped by a stranger then a whopping 69% is raped by someone they know. In line with what I said.

 

Tempting the devil kulaha? So now the devil is not out to get us but we're just paranoid.

 

Atheer, let me break it down for you like this: rape is a crime committed against those conceived as less powerful for reasons we are not certain of. It is a crime of opportunity and the perpetrator will rape as long as they believe they can get away with it. How the victim is dressed, where she is, what she says prior to the rape is all irrlevant information. The victim is the prey and the rapist is the predator. Victims do not send out invitation cards to be violated. Plain and simple, atheer?

[SeeKer]

^^^ 10-4 I read u loud and clear.

 

I just assumed since you found your way into SOL that you can find stats on the net. My bad next time I will post my source Only 4% of rapes, by last counts, were reported. I think I provided you stats on acquintances. (I can use the same arguement against that stat too and say the opposite number were rapes by strangers but I WON'T)

 

You said. "How the victim is dressed, where she is , what she says prior to the rape is all irrlevant information. The victim is the prey and the rapist is the predator."

 

I agree partly. Opportunity is the key here. A weak lion (for these are what rapists are} will attack a disabled or a prey that is/has deviated from the flock, more than he would a prey who is surrounded.Walking around half naked, alone and drunk yell OPPORTUNITY OPPORTUNITY to me what do you think that dumb lion hears?

 

Like I said I am not laying the blame on the woman but merely pointing out that sometimes their actions gets a negative reaction. (This is the demographic of females that get raped due to taking unneccesary risk not all the rape victims) Don't twist my thesis

 

Do we learn with one part of us, feel angry with another, and desire the pleasures of eating and sex with another? Or do we employ our mind as a whole when our energies are employed in any of these ways? said a man.

[Castro]

^ It's always great when the other party sees things my way.

[SeeKer]

^^^Typical yankee! Sticking your flag in a land that hasn't declared surrender

 

Yalla ....we let u be in ur bubble mate!

[Johnny B]

Originally posted by Castro:

^ It's always great when the other party sees things my way.

 

Sometimes they just don´t have a choice .

[Castro]

^ JB, Seeker and I signed a secret agreement for her to roll over and play dead and for me to claim victory. Don't spoil it for me, ok?

[Oocyte]

Seeker,

Knowing your source is crucial since u are throwing some numbers here and I agree with Castro that most rapes are committed by relative or someone the victim knows.

Blaming partly the victim is like giving the rapists the green light. Rapists dont actually care what the victim's physical appearance is since the victim could be a child (boy or girl), woman or elderly and are sick ppl who get pleasure from the pain of others.