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Original poster

Am I being oversensitive?

35 replies

Pootles2010 · 08/12/2010 13:32

Just seen the East Riding of Yorkshire Police's Christmas Campaign - the strapline is 'let your hair down, not your guard', with a line underneath 'Alcohol features in two thirds of all rapes'. This makes me quite uneasy, not sure if it should? What are others thoughts on it?

OP posts:
MadreInglese · 08/12/2010 14:08

But it's about general awareness, like someone else said, it may make a guy think seriously about whether a woman is sober enough to consent

(but I can't imagine anyone intent on committing a premeditated crime would change their mind because of a poster)

They are aimed at the victims of crime, not because they are to blame, but because sometimes you can take steps yourself to reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of crime

Original poster
Pootles2010 · 08/12/2010 14:01

I see what you mean Madre, but it isn't very fair just to have everything aimed at the victim is it? Like the others say, there should be an accompanying ad for men to think about not getting so drunk / or to consider whether a woman is sober enough to consent.

OP posts:
Ephiny · 08/12/2010 13:59

I think it's good advice for everyone, men and women, to not get so drunk you're not in control of yourself, or likely to do stupid things, or not able to get home safely.

Wouldn't have liked that poster though, smells of victim-blaming to me.

ToyBoat · 08/12/2010 13:57

There are often signs in shops saying 'shoplifters will be prosecuted'.

MadreInglese · 08/12/2010 13:48

tbh with a 20 year old sister who regularly scares me to death by going out and getting so ratarsed she can't remember where she put her phone/how she got home/who she was dancing with I think it's a welcome warning to women who are planning on boozing away the festive season

of course they're not 'asking for it' but it doesn't hurt to be a little cautious and not make yourself unneccessarily vulnerable

if seeing that add makes one girl have one or two less drinks, which in turn keeps her 'sober' enough to wait for a taxi home rather than think she's safe to walk, then is a good thing IMO

Original poster
Pootles2010 · 08/12/2010 13:43

To be fair the policewoman in the interview (in local paper) did say it was about women not making themselves vulnerable, but also about men realising that women must be sober enough to consent... I just think there's traces of the old attitude of women 'asking for it'.

OP posts:
SantaIsMyLoveSlave · 08/12/2010 13:42

I've never seen a sign saying "don't nick things out of cars", though. Or the equivalent for pretty much anything other than traffic offences or child abuse (counting the NSPCC's Full Stop campaign there).

"CCTV here" covers pretty much anything illegal you might be thinking of doing. And I think it's a legal requirement to put up a sign if you have a CCTV camera, too.

ChateauDeLaShite · 08/12/2010 13:42

Agree. Basically implies 'you've been told, so if you get pissed and then raped it's your own fault'

ToyBoat · 08/12/2010 13:39

Yes, it pisses me off too. If they're going to have posters saying 'be careful not to get raped' they shoudl have ones saying 'don't rape women' as well. Just like they have 'be careful not to make it easy for thieves to nick things out of your car' as well as ones saying 'CCTV here - don't trespass' etc.

I've never seen a sign saying 'don't rape'.

scurryfunge · 08/12/2010 13:36

It is fact that alcohol features in sexual assaults but that goes for the offender too.

I don't like the emphasis on the victim having to be careful. I would prefer something along the lines of "Oi, fellas, don't get so pissed you don't care whether someone is consenting or not".

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