To say that rape may as well be legal in this country?

Original poster

Destinysdaughter · 25/09/2018 21:28

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/society/2007/feb/01/penal.genderissues

OP posts:

Original poster

Destinysdaughter · 25/09/2018 21:29

www.theguardian.com/society/2018/sep/25/revealed-uk-police-demanding-access-data-potential-rape-victims

OP posts:

Original poster

Destinysdaughter · 25/09/2018 21:31

“Police are demanding almost unfettered access to highly personal records and data from potential rape victims before pressing ahead with their cases, the Guardian can reveal.

In some areas, complainants are being asked to disclose health, school and college records, counselling notes and all data from their electronic devices, documents obtained under freedom of information requests show.“

OP posts:

Fromage · 25/09/2018 22:08

Horrific.

whatareyoueatingNOW · 25/09/2018 22:12

It's terrifying. If my dds were to suffer rape I honestly don't think I'd encourage them to report. Because the whole process is horrific and the conviction rate is a joke.

Mammyloveswine · 25/09/2018 22:12

That's appalling

Idontbelieveinthemoon · 25/09/2018 22:14

It's hideous. The whole support system is geared up to allow rapists to walk free and leave victims in tatters. The whole judicial system is a laughing stock when it comes to successfully prosecuting rapists, and for me there aren't many more hideous crimes than that of rape.

GunpowderGelatine · 25/09/2018 22:53

Disgusting. And (the fabulous) Julie Bindel is absolutely correct it may as well be legal.

I always say this - if 1 in 10 women or men fell victim to a disease or virus in this country, it would be classed as an epidemic, a public health issue. PHE, the NHS etc would be in gold command, emergency planning teams up and down the country would be implementing their plans to help prevent the spread of the virus or disease, and every last penny, resource and contingency fund would be utilised.

In the U.K., 1 in 10 women are raped. The conviction rate is 2%. And nothing is done to help stop this epidemic. No emergency planning teams are deployed. No extra measures are put in place. Nothing is done to secure high conviction rates. On the contrary, people tie themselves in knots to blame women for this, they actively perpetuate rape myths, they start babbling that women are liars or attention seekers, and if men are charged then the victim gets her life scrutinised and judged as if she were the criminal. Men continue to rape knowing fine well that they have an almost perfect chance of getting away with it.

DownstairsMixUp · 25/09/2018 23:07

That's absolutely disgusting men are trash

Brambleboo · 25/09/2018 23:23

I bet the accused doesn't have his life turned over in minute detail. Survivors probably find enquiries like these almost as invasive as the assault at times. It's a national disgrace.

We women really do not have equal access to justice, do we.

Breezebutter · 25/09/2018 23:26

Agree with PP that the reporting/court process is really horrific and if it happened to me again I definitely wouldn’t report. Such an awful world we live in. Scared for my own daughter

MustBeDreaming · 26/09/2018 08:42

That's horrific, I can't understand how most of that data could possibly be relevant. It seems like it's deliberately designed to put off victims from reporting rape and to find ways to blame them.

LagerthaTheShieldMaiden · 26/09/2018 08:46

Fully agree with your post GunpowderGelatine.

BarbarianMum · 26/09/2018 08:50

YABU Things are really bad. It would be a lit worse if it was legal.

BarbarianMum · 26/09/2018 08:50

lot

serbska · 26/09/2018 08:52

It seems like it's deliberately designed to put off victims from reporting rape and to find ways to blame them.

It does, doesn't it.

Men continue to rape knowing fine well that they have an almost perfect chance of getting away with it.

Yup. The patriarchy has no interest in changing the status quo.

Consent at the Harold Pinter is quite an interesting watch if anyone likes theater.

worridmum · 26/09/2018 08:55

This is not in fact right in a rape trial you are not allowed to bring the victim credibility into question (aka are they liars as in if they have been convicted of fraud or any other such offence which proves they are willing to lie on offical or about important things).

The defendant has no such protection its stupid that in cases where it hangs in the balance whom you should believe/ more trust worthy you are only allowed to hear about the defendant's untrustworthy actions. Aka they are allowed to character assisanite the defendant but not even allowed to bring up if the accuser is known to lie.

Ereshkigal · 26/09/2018 08:56

“Police are demanding almost unfettered access to highly personal records and data from potential rape victims before pressing ahead with their cases, the Guardian can reveal.

In some areas, complainants are being asked to disclose health, school and college records, counselling notes and all data from their electronic devices, documents obtained under freedom of information requests show.“

It's absolutely disgusting.

WaterOffaDucksCrack · 26/09/2018 09:10

I was told "there's no point taking this any further. It will be your word against his and no one will believe you" - He continued to rape me more times than I can count over a few years.

JuicyLucy72 · 26/09/2018 09:28

This is not in fact right in a rape trial you are not allowed to bring the victim credibility into question (aka are they liars as in if they have been convicted of fraud or any other such offence which proves they are willing to lie on offical or about important things).

I have been a victim in a successful rape trial and I spent two days on the stand being called a liar and accused of being a fantasist over a lie I told when I was 14 that was noted on my care records, so whilst the above may be guidance it is not what happens in court.

The lie I told was why I was late home which I later admitted to my care worker and nothing to do with the case at all. Fortunately I have no criminal record or
Anything in my adult life that would suggest I am a liar, and probably the reason I was successful.

JellyBaby666 · 26/09/2018 09:36

Having worked with victims of sexual assault and supporting many to report, this isn't news to me. The defendant has to do this too, turn over his phone, records etc. It takes such a long time, and makes a mockery frankly. One of many reasons I took a step back.

The CPS has such a high threshold for a court case, I'm surprised anything gets through. It's revolting. Something needs to change.

JuicyLucy72 · 26/09/2018 09:38

According to NAPAC there are on approximately 11 million survivors in this country out of a population of 66 million.

Which makes survivors a 16% demographic , quite a significant when we think in terms of how victims/survivors are still turned away and ignored by the Police, the courts and support services funding and the government in general.

JellyBaby666 · 26/09/2018 09:40

I stand corrected I'm sorry, it appears the article suggests suspects can refuse to give certain data. Our whole process of trying these cases is so backwards - in the Belfast rape trial for example the victim was examined by each defendants lawyer, she spent days being questioned. The men? Nowhere near. I can't bear it.

Eryngium · 26/09/2018 09:49

The police told me they wouldn't investigate - not even so far as to consider taking a video statement from me - until I had signed a consent form giving them access to my medical records and counselling/therapy records.

So I signed it because I couldn't bear the thought of him raping somebody else because I'd stayed silent.

Regardless, my rapist has not had to so much as answer a single question or account for himself to anybody, much less a police officer.

Eryngium · 26/09/2018 09:51

Oh, and the notorious MRA who has predictably popped up on this thread to spout bullshit and spread lies (oh, the irony) can fuck off.