Kenya's Rape Prevention Programme

[Gralick]

Sorry to post and run, I should be asleep. I just saw this on Upworthy and think it's brilliant! Does anyone have any inside info?
www.upworthy.com/kenyas-unique-approach-to-rape-prevention-should-have-the-rest-of-the-world-taking-note?c=ufb1

Summary: They taught self-defence to girls, and respect/choice/intervention to boys. Rapes went down by 20%.

[tribpot]

It's a confusing article - the No Means No training was linked to Your Moment of Truth which educated the boys. The article implies the second test involved No Means No + Your Moment of Truth in one group only, but doesn't actually say so.

Might be worth Tweeting the author for clarification.

[StillLostAtTheStation]

It's a very confusing article. It wasn't clear to me whether the rates had dropped because attacks had dropped or because girls were successfully using self defence.

If the latter are events being recorded and prosecuted as attempted rape?

I'm not sure either that being taught self defence to prevent rape is a huge improvement on being told "don't walk alone in the dark".

[scallopsrgreat]

Agreed Still. It puts the onus on the girls to stop rape. I'm shocked that it was a revelation that the boys were the problem when it comes to rape! Of course they bloody were!

I think tribpot is right. They start off by describing two separate courses for the girls and boys and then I think it morphs into one programme part way through the article.

Tackling the cause of the crime is always going to have better results thank tinkering with the symptoms.

[GibberingFlapdoodle]

I remember this thread once on Do women simply need to learn how to fight more. The general consensus overall was that fighting was great for the individuals who could manage it, but on a social level it raised all sorts of issues. Even on an individual level it could become something else to blame the victims for. Some interesting points in it.

[Gralick]

Thanks. I took it for granted that they were talking about the combined efforts of the girls' "No means you can fight the fucker if he won't listen" programme AND the boys' "Rape's a shitty thing to do, stop and think, do something if you see one". That the overall message was: Boys, stop rape; Girls, it's okay to fight against rape.

Those two messages should be so obvious they don't need teaching, but the facts persistently tell us they are not taken for granted in reality. I liked that the boys were taught why shorts skirts, etc, are not invitations. That's important.

Later on, I'll try and find some original documents about this. I would be so happy if it turned out to be a relatively simple way of transforming expectations & values.

As it goes, I am heavily in favour of teaching girls self-defence - not as a specific against rape (if only!) but more as counterbalance to all the "nice" socialisation inflicted on us. It's valuable for life, imo. I also think proper assertiveness training should be delivered in schools, for both sexes.

[VincenzoAlfieri]

DH is Kenyan, but I hadn't heard of this

There have been a couple of cases of women been stripped in public because they were dressed 'improperly' and I have found the reaction to that quite heartening. The My Dress My Choice has alot if support

I wasn't a supporter of Uhuru Kenyatta, but women's issues have definitely gained more ground under his government

[WhatWouldFreddieDo]

This Reuters article might be clearer - interesting that it's part funded by UK govt ...