We Believe You: we're launching our rape awareness campaign today.

[KateMumsnet]

Today, we're very proud to be launching a new campaign. It's called 'We Believe You', and it's inspired by the many MNers who've asked us to speak out about the prevalence of rape and sexual assault in women's lives.

While we're at it, we're going to try to explode, once and for all, some pernicious myths about rape - about who does it, what it is, and whom it can happen to. These myths mean that many victims are denied justice: our survey confirmed that most don't report their rape or sexual assault, for fear of being disbelieved.

So the message of our campaign is in the title - we believe you. We hope MNers will get behind it, and spread that message far and wide - on Facebook, and on Twitter, using the hashtag #webelieveyou. And don't forget to let us know what you think here on this thread.

We're also giving a shout-out to Rape Crisis, the End Violence Against Women coalition, and Barnardo's - all of whom are supporting our campaign. They all work hard on sexual violence issues - either by supporting those who've experienced it, or campaigning for better prevention strategies - so do see if you can help them out.

MNHQ x

Ok, I have put a couple of banners on my profile. I have been able to spend the morning doing this because my lovely husband wanted to give me a break for a couple of days so spend the last 2 days while at home with the kids emptying the laundry basket, cleaning the house and making dinner in advance so I don't have to do anything except ignore the kids! If only all men we like that.

Otter - I've just had a call telling me this guy was from Windows and wanted me to remote control my PC. I said I didn't believe him and put the phone down, he wouldn't tell me where he was from (number came up 'calling') so that made me suspicious.

What a nightmare for you!

Learning disability mums, the chat moves pretty quickly. Your points are very worthwhile though.

Shit Gentleotter, do you know what has gone where?

GentleOtter and Mary!

The Windows one is a very common scam, but still...

Serial - I had no idea! I honestly had no idea, I feel but I'm so glad I told him I didn't believe him and put the phone down. As if there isn't shit in the world without that!

Gentle Otter, I'm trying to raise someone who can give emergency tech advice in this area. If I hear from them, I'll PM you.

Q: did it just create and send out new emails from your account? Or did it forward your old emails somewhere?

my entire Googlemail account has gone. My sil alerted me that she was being bombarded with my emails. They opened personal emails to dd.
I feel sick.
The account has just vanished - 5years of emails.

OMG, poor you!

Miranda, I joined an American forum about emotional support and rape support even before reporting my abuser/rapist to police. Members are still speechless after I nearly posted updates every day about my story and case. It's shocking for them that women's rights are still "zero, nada, zilch" in front of the police and courts.

That American police officer was right, the key is in the interview with the rapist/abuser and get them to boast about how they felt about the abuse/rape. Because they're gloating inside, they feel powerful because they could get away with it and sooner or later they'll explode. It's a pity that our police is more worried about pushing the victims to their boundaries and extract a forced recantation from them, easy to accuse a rape victim of lying to the state than to try to convict a rapist.
I was appalled to see how little they investigated. They didn't care about previous allegations, nor to contact the previous girlfriends. It's a lot easier to convince everybody that a raped woman is a crazy, vindictive liar, isn't it?

Fuck.

New messages would just be a botnet getting in and using you to send its own spam. Reading your old messages is much more serious.

I'm waiting for tech friend to contact, but maybe put up a distress rocket in the Geeky section here?

This may be something actually criminal, under the Computer Misuse Act, but IANAL.

GO
ARe you ok? Maybe post in geeky stuff to ask advice. What have google said?

So sorry to see this , GentleOtter , and am sure Geeky stuff will advise , but I agree it does sound as though it might be a criminal matter

Is it worth reporting this to your local police station Otter? I know a few friends who's Hotmail accounts have been 'hijacked' and had pornographic and viagra e-mails sent to their entire contact list.

It wasn't the sort of e-mail I expected from my FIL.

I really hope someone can help you, I'm so sorry that you've lost five years worth of e-mail, no doubt they contained some happy memories too? x

Have managed to retrieve my old account, change passwords and then flopped at the security check bit but very specific emails hacked.

I do think this is worth passing on to the police and will phone them.

And this is just to say to anyone not involved with this campaign who is following my user name with any sort of malicious intent - I refuse to be scared or intimidated.

How awful GentleOtter. Hope you're OK. It sounds like a good idea to contact the police.

Oh well done on password change. And even more well done on not being intimidated.

This is so awful! GentleOtter, do you think it's something concerning your involvement in this campaign? Hope you're OK.

You are amazing , GentleOtter . Hope police are helpful

Otter x

another brave survivor's story.

What incredible, inspirational stories these women have shared.

Right, have heard from techie, will PM you GentleOtter.

thank you for believing me x

I believe you all