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Original poster

AIBU to think rape is now legal in the UK?

215 replies

verdantverdure · 29/03/2023 21:04

If there's almost no chance of a rapist being caught and punished then rape is legal, right?

Less than 0.7% are ever convicted.

Less than 1.4% are ever even charged

I'm not sure this is a government that cares about women, you guys.

OP posts:
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10
araiwa · 30/03/2023 06:49

Yabu

It's a completely moronic thing to say

It minimises the victims

It devalues all the other good arguments about what could be done to increase the number of arrests and convictions.

It's the equivalent of twaw. By saying it you lose the support of reasonable people

PogoThePunk · 30/03/2023 01:29

It might as well be legal.
A lot of females are too scared to report it and a lot of those who do might as well not have bothered for all the justice they get.
The whole attitude towards it is sickening.
In 2023, we still have victim blaming just to add to the disgrace of it.

MrsTerryPratchett · 30/03/2023 01:18

verdantverdure · 30/03/2023 00:05

Reported rapes perhaps.

Why bother?

Show quote history

And when the police have the track record they have for misogyny and sexual violence, reported rapes would go down.

If you're a chicken you don't report the fox to the wolf.

FrosteeFlake · 30/03/2023 01:15

MrsTerryPratchett · 29/03/2023 21:22

In the same way that drugs are gradually decriminalised over time with a lack of policing, so is rape. And considering how many men admit they would rape if they could get away with it, it's chilling.

What women do with information is another matter. Young women are being trained to consent to more and more and expect less and less pleasure. When does the tipping point come where it's simply not worth shagging men?

Rape appears to be technically illegal whilst being effectively unpoliced.

Very well put and very true

TooBigForMyBoots · 30/03/2023 00:57

YANBU OP. Prosecuting rape has always been difficult, but the current rate of prosecutions and ability to get a Guilty verdict are disgusting.

Rape has been practically decriminalised in the UK.Angry

DonnaBanana · 30/03/2023 00:53

Ktime · 29/03/2023 21:09

Way to miss the point Kanaloa.

It may as well we legal OP. YANBU.

It may as well be legal? That’s a horrible thing to say. I don’t want it to be legalised even if it’s poorly prosecuted.

JudgeRudy · 30/03/2023 00:47

Ktime · 29/03/2023 21:09

Way to miss the point Kanaloa.

It may as well we legal OP. YANBU.

I think the point OP intended to highlight has been understood. The reply has accurately responded to what was actually said. I'm guessing their point was stop employong ridiculous and click bait.

iaapap · 30/03/2023 00:25

verdantverdure · 29/03/2023 23:51

I have a friend who has been waiting for years to go to court. That's down to funding. There's a massive backlog.

A government could do something about that. A government could put enough police on the beat so that police forces could attend a recent rape rather than asking victims to report it via a website and wait to be contacted.

Physical evidence needs to be collected before a victim can have a bath or change clothes. If it's not her case has no chance.

A government could spend enough money so that evidence wasn't lost as often as it is.

Show quote history

Whilst that is true, the government don’t spend money on lots of essentials (clearly rape is an essential). People die waiting for medical treatment for example. It’s “just” one part of the entire country becoming non functional. I don’t know the answer, but I do agree that we need more police, more court officers etc. but we also need more doctors. More nurses. More hospitals. More teachers. Everything is broken.

Beaglesonlyplease · 30/03/2023 00:17

Part of the reason police won’t put rape or sexual assault claims to CPS is the belief that without “objective “ evidence there’s no chance of a successful prosecution.
this is what I think needs to change.
In cases where there is CCTV and or rape kits performed with DNA profiles it should be a given it will go to court.
A judge or a jury are perfectly capable of assessing evidence without either form of “proof” and should be allowed to perform that task.
Cuts to services is of course an issue, and a big one at that but part of the problem lies with the notion that so called “he said/she said “ cases aren’t “provable” which people equate with “unjudge-able” which are not the same thing

Wedoronron · 30/03/2023 00:08

Kanaloa · 29/03/2023 21:15

I didn’t miss the point. I just think it’s pointless making random comments. If the discussion had been ‘aibu to think we need better structure in law enforcement for xyz’ then I’d have agreed wholeheartedly. Random comments like ‘rape is legal! If conviction rates are low that means it’s legal’ just makes you look like you can’t have a proper discussion and makes it much easier for others to dismiss your point as hysterical/idiotic/stupid.

Show quote history

O think being hysterical at this point is just. My family member was raped and murdered 72 years ago. I think they had better conviction rates then than now.

Original poster
verdantverdure · 30/03/2023 00:05

L1ttledrummergirl · 30/03/2023 00:04

At PMqs today, Raab said that rapes were down.

So that's ok then.

Reported rapes perhaps.

Why bother?

OP posts:
Original poster
verdantverdure · 30/03/2023 00:05

lljkk · 30/03/2023 00:01

On that logic you may as well declare that speeding in a car, trespassing, fly tipping, shoplifting, petty theft at work, vandalism, drinking under age, cannabis use, benefit fraud, harassment ... are also legal too.

Yeah.

OP posts:
L1ttledrummergirl · 30/03/2023 00:04

At PMqs today, Raab said that rapes were down.

So that's ok then.

carriedout · 30/03/2023 00:04

The Tories have defunded the police, they don't care about the victims of crime.

Yes rape is basically decriminalised.

IHateLegDay · 30/03/2023 00:04

@verdantverdure that's a good idea 😂 you'd probably actually get a result you'd be happy with.

My rapist is living a lovely life with his wife and child and never had to think twice about the trauma he caused me. How nice for him 😑

BMW6 · 30/03/2023 00:01

I believe I would too Verdant

lljkk · 30/03/2023 00:01

On that logic you may as well declare that speeding in a car, trespassing, fly tipping, shoplifting, petty theft at work, vandalism, drinking under age, cannabis use, benefit fraud, harassment ... are also legal too.

Original poster
verdantverdure · 29/03/2023 23:59

IHateLegDay · 29/03/2023 23:52

YANBU

Many many women don't even bother going to the police. Going through the medical process and reliving the situation over and over in court for the rapist to just walk free is too traumatic.

Every single woman I know has been harassed, assaulted or raped at some point.
Of all the women I know who have been raped, only one of them pressed charges.

I decided long ago that I wouldn't go to the police. Part of my best friend's family are really dodgy characters. I'd go to them.

OP posts:
BMW6 · 29/03/2023 23:59

Physical evidence needs to be collected before a victim can have a bath or change clothes. If it's not her case has no chance.

Sure, you can prove sex took place! But if the accused claims it was entirely consensual?

Do you not see the dilemma? It's nearly impossible.

What would you advocate? Believe every claim?

BMW6 · 29/03/2023 23:54

SemperIdem · 29/03/2023 23:47

A “false accusation” conviction is more likely than a rape conviction, despite the latter being more common to the thousands.

Well yes, because the accused rapist may have an absolute cast iron alibi. Like the recent case where a woman accused several men and it was proved she was outside the UK at the very moment she claimed to have been raped in the UK.

Those are facts. If two people are in a room together and one says the other raped them, what have you got to prove or refute the allegation?

IHateLegDay · 29/03/2023 23:52

YANBU

Many many women don't even bother going to the police. Going through the medical process and reliving the situation over and over in court for the rapist to just walk free is too traumatic.

Every single woman I know has been harassed, assaulted or raped at some point.
Of all the women I know who have been raped, only one of them pressed charges.

Original poster
verdantverdure · 29/03/2023 23:51

iaapap · 29/03/2023 23:47

It’s to do with the law really, not the current government.

Rape is a really difficult crime to report and to prove in court.

It’s bloody disgraceful but I am not sure of the answer. Sex crimes against women are committed to a hideous extent.

I have a friend who has been waiting for years to go to court. That's down to funding. There's a massive backlog.

A government could do something about that. A government could put enough police on the beat so that police forces could attend a recent rape rather than asking victims to report it via a website and wait to be contacted.

Physical evidence needs to be collected before a victim can have a bath or change clothes. If it's not her case has no chance.

A government could spend enough money so that evidence wasn't lost as often as it is.

OP posts:
iaapap · 29/03/2023 23:47

It’s to do with the law really, not the current government.

Rape is a really difficult crime to report and to prove in court.

It’s bloody disgraceful but I am not sure of the answer. Sex crimes against women are committed to a hideous extent.

SemperIdem · 29/03/2023 23:47

A “false accusation” conviction is more likely than a rape conviction, despite the latter being more common to the thousands.