Anti rape posters by Manchester Police

Cynically, one wonders if the "don't catch unlicenced cabs because rape!!!" series might be more about reducing income to unlicenced cabs by scaring half their customer base than about risk assessment.

It is so sad that it has taken so many students to be raped for the campaign, but at least they are doing something now.

Seven, you made a post about "don't get into illegal taxis" posters on that depressing thread in relationships and it was almost word for word an argument that I had with a friend recently. I had to check that it wasn't my post that I was confusing with a spoken argument (not for the first time this week!). They were saying it was sensible to advise women to not get illegal taxis and could not see why this was not only based on no fact whatsoever, it is also extremely damaging by creating a false sense of security as well as making rape victims feel crap about themselves, whether they were raped by an illegal taxi driver or not.

I understand that men are far more likely, statistically, to be violently attacked while drunk. I don't recall many posters telling them to limit their behaviour to avoid a violent attack. The only thing I see is ones saying "don't drink too much, you will look a bit silly and miss the New Year's Eve countdown". And even then they do not specifically target men.

This is the campaign that I have to see several points around my daily life www.tfl.gov.uk/campaign/be-cabwise. Not a single male victim depicted in any of them. It's not advisable for anyone to get in an unlicensed cab, so why suggest it's only women who do and women who should be told not to? And in the video, the same thing can happen getting into a licensed or black cab. And if you don't get a cab at all, there is potential danger wherever a rapist may be, which is anywhere. So either women must never leave the house or be in the company of men, or the campaigns need to take the tack of the GMP ones, targeting the rapist (I am sure there are people who would suggest the former option is preferable). Saying "unless it's booked, it's not safe" implies that a booked or black cab is going to be safe. Which is clearly not the case. I don't know how anyone can argue that this is not blaming women for being attacked and giving quite unhelpful advice.

I don't know why I am ranting here, preaching to the choir (or the clergy, even). But it is comforting to know I am not the only one who feels this way...

TDB.. you would not only terrified, but disgusted and amazed at how very many people believe that women 'infer' (sic) consent by being drunk and flirty, by getting into bed with a man, by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. What really disappoints me is how many of them are women.

These posters and the don't be that guy ones are really good, and place the responsibility for rape firmly where it should be.

There have been so many scandals recently around police forces handling of sex crimes - and even more coming out all the time - and with the CPS and IPCC condemning them - that I think some of them are acting and about time too.

Hopefully this poster campaign is in line with training for all officers.

My memory might be foggy but weren't GMP hammered recently for something around sex crimes?

Excellent message. Very well done posters. Thanks for sharing OP.

Policemen are only men in that same culture so I am amazed this got through.

Queenoftherant, maybe more men than you think actually get it?

surveys show that many young men are not aware that having sex with someone too pissed to consent is rape

This is terrifying.

I don't know what the word 'assume' is doing in the poster. It's just wrong. You don't assume that consent hasn't been given, it's just the case.

Queen given that surveys show that many young men are not aware that having sex with someone too pissed to consent is rape, maybe the posters will make a difference.

Even if they don't in the numbers they might well in the willingness of the victims to report and how they feel about it afterwards ie it wasn't their fault.

Wow that is a fab poster.

Sadly I was confronted with a "dire warning about cabs" one the other day.

Why are they so prevalent anyway? I mean yes unlicenced cab drivers rape people but so do licenced cab drivers and bouncers and bus drivers and people walking their dogs and your boyfriend.....

About time, putting the onus on the man to not rape, not for the woman to look out.

Wow. I'm flabbergasted. They've got the message right haven't they.

I come from the gtr mcr area originally, so I am very surprised. The area was not and probably is not friendly to girls and women. Policemen are only men in that same culture so I am amazed this got through.

I'm a bit dubious about how much good a few posters will do, but I guess it raises the issue. One man starting to think is one less life destroyed.

Sorry, just seen it in the op

I'm not sure but I think it's a fairly new campaign.

Pity about DI Damien Simpsons comment, one thing did not lead to another, a rapist raped someone.

Do you have a link?

I wish they'd replace the horrible triggering one I have to walk past twice a day on my commute with something like this.

I despair at people who don't see why those "ooh badman illegal taxi driver will rape you, here's some photos to show how! Don't do it and you won't get raped!" posters are so very, very unhelpful.

Good on them, its about time this sort of message was being conveyed. And it seems well supported by various student bodies as well.

I follow a few local gmp forces on Twitter and they tweet the text from this poster regularly. Agree it's a positive change in attitude.