Can we do anything about this?

Riven - dittany thinks that poster campaigns will turn men into saints

not blaming - its warning.

Dittany, do you really think such campaigns would have any effect?

dittany - "campaigns to stop men raping women"? Please.

Poster campaigns don't stop criminals.

I think that some of you will not know what they are referring to as "unbooked minicabs".

The place I have seen them is in the evenings/late at night in London. Outside all the popular bars/clubs etc.

Men in beaten up old cars which are neither taxis/cabs/mini-cabs or anything apart from a bloke with a car (usually looking very unroadworth, possibly not insured and working for cash in hand).

The fact that husbands and partners are most likely to rape women can be the subject of someone else's poster campaign surely?

TFL are looking to raise awareness of safer transport in London - hence the text service to find a legitimate minicab or taxi.

Bonsoir, having a relationship with a man is the most risky situation of all.

Do you really propose that I tell my daughter never to have male friends?

Don't be silly.

Right, dittany, so in fact it is completely wrong to ever talk to women about the remote possibility that they may get raped by a stranger?

HerBeatitude - well of course women can help themselves by not putting themselves in risky situations. What are you fighting for? A crime free totally safe world?

I think it's OK as part of a series of posters with other circumstances and other victims.

Otherwise it's not OK - it's just another promotion of the rape myths (women being able to stop rape by not going to places where rapists are).

i didn't know until recently that there was a difference between mini cabs and licensed taxis. I didn't get the it was blaming the victim.

Well I understand the point that they are unsafe because you don't know who they are and licensed ones are safer because they can be tracked down after but you can get raped in a black cab as well what about that guy who drugged and raped all those idiots (yes I will call them that, accepting drinks from the driver).

It's disturbing but so it should be. It's not offensive, more effective.

Mind you, I wouldn't want to walk past it every day either. You'll just have to turn you head, I'm afraid.

i think it s a good poster sorry

If it's just about not taking unlicensed cabs, why isn't there a male victim in the back?

I know someone (male) who was attacked by one of these dodgy mini cab drivers - he'd taken an unlicensed cab and when he got out at the other end, two blokes jumped out of a car behind (which had obviously been following them) and along with the cab driver, beat him up and took his wallet. Taking an unlicensed cab is not a gendered issue, so why are TfL making it one?

I think it is an effective way of pointing out a risk to women. What on earth is wrong with that?

Hmmm. Yes, on the one hand, any advice as to how to avoid rape does slightly suggest that it's the woman's fault if she doesn't follow it and then gets raped.

But then, if there was no such advice, and more women took unlicenced cabs and got raped, then more women will have been raped than without the advice.

Surely fewer women getting raped is the lesser of two evils here.

Perhaps some better phrasing could have been used (eg I really don't like the words "you're putting yourself in danger") but in general I agree with these campaigns.

ok, sorry..

the poster used minicabs, I thought they meant cabs.

I think the words 'stop, no. Stop please. no Please' followed by 'Please stop taking unbooked minicabs' is really badly worded and does slightly suggest that women can stop rape by not being stupid.

Tethersend - I know the arguments that giving certain types of safety info/message to women can lead to a - "you didn't follow the advice" - "tough/you were asking for it" mentality.

However, I really think that it is important for people (women and men) to not use unlicenced "vehicles".

DuelingFanjo - "It seems to put the blame on the women for taking the cabs."
They. Are. Not. Cabs.!

I can see your point Tethersend, but I think what they are trying to achieve is making women aware that they are potentially more at risk, not "guiltier" if they take an unbooked cab.

IMHO, It is more about being able to trace the driver back than a 'how to avoid getting raped' advice.