Hello
As you probably know, Mumsnet is planning to launch a rape awareness campaign in the middle of March, and as part of that campaign we're asking Mumsnetters to complete a survey about their own experience, if any, of rape and sexual assault (following last year's informal survey by MNetter CristinedePizan).
Please note the survey is open to all MNers - whether you have been raped and/or sexually assaulted or not.
We've thought carefully about whether to run this survey, and about the wording of the questions that are on it. Indeed we have consulted with leading charities and organisations operating in this field. We're aware that this will be terribly painful for some of you, but we believe that evidence of MNers' own experiences of sexual violence is probably the most powerful way to get our campaign message across - to politicians, to the media and to the wider world.
The survey is open to to all female Mumsnetters, whether you have been raped and/or sexually assaulted or not. We want to get as accurate a picture as possible, so don't feel that you can't take part if this has never happened to you.
For those that do have personal experience, there are inevitably some very difficult and personal questions in the survey which you may find very upsetting to fill out. We're so sorry if that is the case; do feel free to leave without completing it if it becomes too painful.
Please also rest assured that all survey responses will remain completely anonymous, and won't be linked in any way to your MN nickname or RL identity. As a small gesture of thanks for taking part, there is a £50 Amazon voucher to be won.
If you have any thoughts on the campaign you are welcome to post them on this thread.
Here's the link to the survey
Many thanks,
Ann on behalf of the MNHQ Insight and Campaigns Teams
NB: If you've been affected by these issues, Rape Crisis offer support through their national helpline. The number is 0808 802 9999, and it's open every day of the year from 12pm to 2.30pm, and 7pm to 9.30pm. You can also visit their website for details of Rape Crisis Centres in your area www.rapecrisis.org.uk
Thanks to everyone who has completed the survey. We've sorted out the winner who would like to remain anon.
JugglingWithTangentialOranges
Tue 06-Mar-12 16:58:01
Thanks for carrying out this survey on our behalf, MNHQ
(even though, as I mentioned, I had a couple of ideas about how it could be improved - I think it did need more questions and more provision for a variety of responses including the more minor incidents which may be experienced by many especially in their youth. Let's hope we can make all such horrible experiences much less common than they sadly are/ have been)
TBE
Tue 06-Mar-12 15:34:16
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
ally90
Tue 06-Mar-12 11:58:21
Done. I'm surprised too at the amount of things that came back to me. Stuff I just was annoyed about or irritated. So much you brush over because its something you have no hope in hell of doing anything about.
Hope this takes off with the media...doubt it will as they are too bias...how about we get rid of page 3 in the sun 
that's another reason it makes it okay to talk to a womans boobs.
wishes
Sun 04-Mar-12 22:22:40
I too agree that there's nothing wrong in principle with sometimes surveying women only. I also think NotTheFullShilling and AmethystMoon are quite wrong to suggest there is no difference between male and female rape. While there may be similarities in its causes and effects, there are also important differences, which I think it is quite wrong and insensitive (to both genders) to ignore or minimise. I hate to point it out to you, but there are a few fairly major differences between an anus and a vagina - to conflate the two, as is implied, feels pretty misogynistic to me.
Also, to say that rape is not a gendered issue is just not true. Why would someone say that? Why would male rape survivors feel they had been emasculated if this were not the case?
ps reading the comments in this thread, I realise I have under-reported as well in my survey responses by omitting the 'less serious' experiences. If I hadn't been raped, I might have made more of experiences which, by comparison, were somewhat less..major.
Suziki
Sun 04-Mar-12 03:54:28
Done- thank you for raising awareness and challenging sexist myths regarding violence against women. I'd like to say that I completely understand and agree with you that this survey should be andis about women only as it is well documented that sexual violence is used as form of control against women by men. This is not to say that men and children being raped or sexually abused is less important or not important but that we need to look at both in their specific social contexts. thanks once again for doing this and to every women who is completing the survey
Sophiarian
Wed 29-Feb-12 12:10:21
Done. I didn't fill in the section that asked if I would like to be contacted by press, media etc., because I wasn't sure whether it would be filtered through you or they would have direct access to my details.
Done, feel like I've been wrung out, which has taken me by surprise. It's funny how this sort of feeling sneaks up on you when you think you are doing ok.
Oh, oops, I got the defence and prosecution things the wrong way around, I've never been in court so I didn't know which was which and guessed. MNHQ could you swap my answers round please?
Bgilly
Sun 26-Feb-12 20:03:20
Are the findings of this survey going to be available to the general public?
mamadoc
Sun 26-Feb-12 15:52:50
Definitions are very hard though aren't they?
A lot of people have said that they don't really regard 'groping' as sexual assault but what does that mean and what about the context?
I've experienced some unwanted drunken rubbing of body parts in a nightclub and felt annoyed but not threatened but also experienced a similar level of touching as very threatening when it came from a much older man in a position of responsibility over me at work and in a confined (not public) place.
areyoumad
Sun 26-Feb-12 12:59:39
Done - I do think it probably needed to be a bit more in depth, mine didn't really fit into the questions, so I used the box at the end to go into more detail. I had problems with the age brackets so although I came in the Under 10 age bracket, I didn't actually go to the police until I was 22. I hope using the boxes at the end was OK.
I also said I would be happy to talk further about it, does that mean automatically anything I've now said can be published or do you have to check with me (or anyone else who said yes as well) before hand.
Since i've done it, i keep remembering things. Like how could I forget that in a nightclub a bloke licked and bit my breast? How did that slip my mind?
StewieGriffinsMom
Sun 26-Feb-12 07:54:07
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
So is that was this is about? just to find out a % of how many women have been assaulted or raped?
Far better to have a survey on exactly how many incidences actually resulted in a conviction. Then another for how many victims were told honestly how low the rate is and the chances of conviction are when they walk in the door before they went through hell and back......
Then maybe campaign to get the laws changed in how prosecution service looks at cases.
