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

SerialKipper, the situation you're describing is of course possible, but not hugely likely or common, non? Whereas a low reporting/prosecuting/conviction rate for sexual assault/rape is disgustingly real.

People get occasionally falsely accused of/prosecuted for theft/fraud/murder/whatever and that fact is not used as an excuse to not accuse/prosecute suspected thieves/fraudsters/murders for their crimes.

Ah, but when murder trials go wrong whatever, there are calls for shake ups and reforms, it is constantly under review, but from where I am sitting shite all is being done to improve the prosecution outcomes for rape. why is it still so bad? is

or even why is the report of rape so low? Wee have no confidence in the system and I for one would not put myself in its hands. and then some of the tarifs handed down to rapists are an insult

Fantastic stuff, Mumsnet. Thanks and support to everyone involved with this campaign.

I've just posted on another thread about this, but I'm feeling a bit let down at the moment; after finally having reported my attacker he's just been told by the police that he'll probably be spoken to at some point in a month or so because of how far away he is from the police dealing with the matter/how busy he is.

I was initially told that he'd be picked up (with no warning) and have his PC taken away. Feels like he's got all this time to come up with a cover story/get rid of any evidence.

Eh? You've completely misunderstood me, PacificDogwood.

I utterly agree that people accused of rape should go to trial, and that the possibility they've been wrongly identified should not be a barrier to this.

But because wrong identification can occur in certain types of cases, it's wrong to do as justalittleinsane suggests and attack solicitors who defend people accused of rape. (It's probably also wrong for ethical reasons, but the practical one sprang out.)

Silverthorns.

Oh. Sorry, SerialKipper, I did indeed misread your meaning. My apologies.

Oh no!

Silver - that is absolutely despicable. Can you complain? How awful for you xx

Can mumsnet bring this campaign to the Leveson enquiry as the majority of these myths are regularly disseminated by the media which also reports false accusations in a wholely skewed fashion, thereby perpetuating these myths and building on them. If the media was forced to report sexist violence, of which rape and DV forms a part, giving total figures for rape, unreported rape and sexist violence in the home, this would give a far more accurate representation and begin to eradicate the myth that women must first and foremost clear their gender of being automatically the liar in a case where they have to prosecute a man. If the figures for both sides of the issue had to be reported as part of any media coverage, it would bust the underlying and most pernicious aspect of sexist violence coverage, that of the fact that women lie more than men around sexist violence.

Mary hang on in there, love x

So sorry for everyone's experiences

serial and lola, the solicitor that sprang to mind was one I stumbled across, and I cant remebmer what firm, who was boasting on his website about how many cases he had managed to get evidence suppressed in.

I cannot tell you how much it incenses me that the rapist has the whole of the long drawn out process to prepare his defense, with the best that money can buy and the ability to question everything about the poor victim and their witnesses while the victim, can expect - and I quote "to be lucky if the Prosecuting Barrister sees the evidence more than half an hour before entering court".

That is not an even playing field.

also tbh, I'd prefer to simply take my business elsewhere, at the end of the day, solicitors and barristers dont care if their clients are guilty, they only care about the best defense they can provide.

Thank you MN xxxxxx
And to all on here who have provided an emotional lifeline

Justa - you are right, unfortunatley.

There was a thread about Leveson and media portrayals of violence against women, Representations of Violence against women in the media, if anyone's interested.

Women's and transexual rights organisations gave evidence in the morning session, Tuesday 24 January, from about 104 mins in, and their testimony lasts about 80 mins.

Another supporter here. Very timely. Thank you and well done for organising it.

I would say the main question is how do we move this discussion from being a 'women's issue' to being an issue for the whole of society? It affects everyone - not just because of the 10% of victims who are male, but because it distorts the whole of society.

And the sad fact is, for as long as this is seen as a 'women's issue', only of interest to 'man hating feminists' it will never be taken seriously.

Yes I think it is an issue for society. I am concerned at how common it is to ply young ladies with alcohol at parties and clubs so that they are really very vulnerable. Said young ladies and their 'friends' seem to accept it is culturally the norm to drink to a level where they cannot look after themselves, especially when they are young. Indeed sometimes I wonder whether the whole thing is self perpetuating- alcohol leads to rape and then the poor young things drink so they can face the rape aka known as 'pulling a guy'. Not to mention drinking to cope with the sex games at parties that are supposed to be culturally acceptable but are actually very demeaning. The whole thing begins at an early age thats also my worry. I was shocked when my 17 year old daughter was plyed with drink at her friends 18th by that friends mother My daughter was left totally vulnerable and luckily someone spotted that a stranger was leading her away from the 'posh hotel' and so she was alright. In fact it was a wake up call for her and she has been very careful about her drinking ever since.
I also think the talks at uni are fantastic. My DD had a fantastic talk with her freshers group in her first week on campus rape and what does and doesn't constitute consent which she found really reassuring. It helped the guys too, to know what the boundaries are. The campus also had a 'running away' room where students could stay the night if they found their college room was being a bit invaded

Thank you for this campaign
It happens to you in your own home by someone who who says they love you
It happens at any age (I was 40)
Half asleep in your chair in front of the Christmas tree you get punched three times with no warning
You crawl off to bed and lie there frozen with fear and shock
It happens in a place where you've gone to feel safe and you feel guilty because you think you 'allowed' it
You don't react for three days and when you tell him to leave, he doesn't, because he doesn't acknowledge that it happened
And you tell no one for 10 years, but when you do, you realise how it has overshadowed your entire life for all that time, how it's isolated you and continues to do so
Because he still won't leave

Brilliant campaign. So sorry for you Sparrow wishing you all strength.

Sparrow :( ((hugs))

sparrow.

Wonderful campaigning by MNHQ again

I have kept a secret for almost 37 years.

It is shared now and hope it helps someone. x