If you were raped would you report it?

grey, I wasn't talking about you, or about anyone in particular x

I was and I didn't. Still wouldn't now.

AF I would never castigate anyone for their decisions with these things. They need support to get through things and for some it is the legal route and for some it isn't. I was only talking about myself.

Yes it is not the fault of a woman who doesn't report rape, if her rapist goes on to rape again.

It's his fault.

What was horrible about that Daily Mail teenage mother being sent to prison article, was the bile directed against rape victims in the comments underneath.

Most people genuinely believe that rape is rare and that most rape allegations are false. That is why most rape victims never bother to report rape - they know they won't be believed. What is the point of putting yourself through the humiliation of the police process and then a court process (if it ever gets to court) when the rapist has a 94% chance of walking free with a smirk on his face?

Never been in even a remotely similar situation but initial response is yes of course I would. I would report it if I were mugged or if my car were broken into and rape is more serious so of course it needs reporting.

The analytical side of me that reads crime novels says I shoudl report it ASAP without having a shower first.

bloody awful typos...hope you get the gist

yes, woman who castigate other women for not having the strength to face the penal system tread very dangerously close to blaming her if he reamins free to do it again

a swift look at the stats for successful rape prosecutions should disabuse them of that idea, pretty sharpish

well said booyhoo.
I think if you have been raped you would have to do whatever you had to to survive; having been raped once you don't have an obligation to let yourself be raped again emotionally by the legal system. People who are strong enough to do it deserve all our gratitude, but you shouldn't feel responsible for anything subsequent a criminal does - it is his crime.

Bythepower
You did not fail. The adult you put faith in failed.

And our justice system is failing us women daily.

Before today I would have answered this question with YES, damn right I would report it.

Now, I don't know.

for those who are saying they would feel guilty if tehy didn't report it and he went on to do it to someone else. by teh sounds of things even if you did report it he would be able to go on to do it to others so i wouldn't let that be your guilt. that is his guilt and teh failings of teh judicial system.

"Yes, if I did not report it and then he attacked someone else, I could not live with that."

I saw something on TV a while ago though about men being arrested for assaulting different women, sometimes charged and sometime going to court for rape five, six even seven times and not being convicted once.

God, how fucking depressing is it that all of you say you wouldn't report it

I think I would- I wouldn't want to get the guy beaten up and then get in trouble for that on top of the rape. At least I think I would feel that I have tried to fight for some justice being done and didn't just let the guy to get away, whatever the outcome.

this one bothered me.
she must (apparently) have been lying because she was seen flirting with him beforehand, didn't cry out for help, and performed a sex act on him later.
we don't know, we absolutely don't know, what went on there, but none of these things are absolutely proof that she wasn't raped and were treated as if they are.

Yes, if I did not report it and then he attacked someone else, I could not live with that.

have skimmed through thread,
lots about this on MN at the moment
I didn't report being raped to the police because when I spoke to childline they told me I needed to take an adult to the police station with me, and the adult I asked told me that these things were God's will.

Would I report it if the same thing happened to me now, Yes, would I encourage others to report it, Yes. I would not raise the issue of conviction rates, it passes some of the responsibility of future attacks onto the police. SOmething I have always struggled with is that because I didn't get to the police, he will probably have gone on to do it again and again and for me part of that is my fault where as if I had made that report and the police didn't follow it up I can honestly say I did my best.

thanks for links... just ab0out to take look

this whole thread has really scared me and i'm shocked that i was totally unaware of things like this.

i suppose the problem is proving "beyond reasonable doubt" that a rape took place... when only 2 people know what happened and it's one word against the other :(

i would like to think i would still report it, but who knows

this is so sad and making me very angry.

Gail Sherwood case

And Gail Sherwood has been sent to prison for a false allegation of rape, while her rapist has got off scot-free.

I see the government are making noises about getting ready to talk to the Taliban.

How apt.

HB, if you ever need someone to have a "word" with someone, let me know

sorry, typo, because she was finding the pressure of giving evidence overwhelming.

thisisyesterday, there's a thread here about such a case.

I really really do not know.

The statistics are very much against the case coming to trial, and the rapist being convicted.

And the threat of prosecution if the case is not proven.

Have you all seen this?

v v unlikely that I would

Thisisyesterday - there have been some very alarming cases where they have decided the woman must have made it up because she has, for example, been seen talking to the rapist afterwards or sent him texts and generally behaved in a way rape victims aren't supposed to. Also cases where the woman may have been pressurised into saying she made it up because she is finding the pressure of giving evidence etc so overwhelming.

it's certainly not the case that if he is found not guilty you wil probably get prosecuted for false allegations, but there are circumstances in which you should probably be very careful indeed about reporting.

I find it pretty ironic that while juries find it impossible to be certain a rape did happen, they sometimes find it easier to be certain it didn't. I would have thought that if the problem is that it was her word against his, it should work both ways - ie you can't be certain either way. But apparently not.