The anti-rape resource blog

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Many thanks to those of you who have offered suggestions etc. in response to my request for help to try and set something up as a campaign against rape.

There are - as many of you pointed out - a number of excellent campaigns already underway.

So I've decided to start a blog with the aim of collecting together as much material relevant to the current situation regarding rape in the UK as possible. I hope this will prove to be a valuable resource to anyone who wants to take further action against rape and related crimes and may help add fuel to the fire of current campaigns and drives to improve this dismal state of affairs.

I haven't abandoned the idea of starting something to help rape victims pursue their attackers through the civil courts, but that will clearly take a lot more thought and work.

This at least can start straight away.

SO...

Please take a look at the first post, if you have time and let me know if you spot any glaring inaccuracies or if I've (unintentionally) worded things crassly/craply etc.

Here

My intention is to continue to add to the blog with any useful material I come across - so again, suggestions are very welcome!

Thanks for your time - you've been an inspiration.

Oh, and I am going to do something to spruce up the formatting, but I haven't got round to that yet.

PS thanks to Lenin for the excellently pithy slogan which I've purloined to title the first post.

Fantastic first post. May I link to it on FB or is it too early?

Fantastic! One thing, I think those statistics might not be the whole of the UK but just England or England and wales. I think the conviction rate might be worse in Scotland.

Ah, brilliant - thanks for those! I will amend forthwith.

Cheers for the positive comments, too!

Feel free to link from FB, although maybe give it until later today so I can sort out the corrections and twiddle a bit with the formatting....

Good on you.

well done, it's very well written and the more stuff like that that's out there, the better.

good luck with taking it forward.

I think this link is fantastic, if you want to include it.

bluemilk.wordpress.com/2010/06/01/dont-get-raped/

Showed this to a friend the other day after I was flicking through a magazine and was horrified to find a huge 3-page feature on Getting Home Safely, avoiding unlicenced minicabs, not being "tempted" to walk, etc etc.

(Okay actually most of the advice on the website is non-suspect but I got annoyed about how the article kept going on about how certain situations are "so dangerous for women" etc.)

I like it alot, well done.

Thanks all.

Good one, Bertie - an excellent theme for a future blog, I shall certainly do something about that.

Please keep the suggestions/corrections etc. coming!

Although I'm taking the initiative here, I feel very much that this is in many ways a collective effort as I am using so much of the information and discussion on this board as a basis for the blog.

I've been lurking on the other thread and I'm glad you linked your blog, thanks.

It's frightneing that the government want the wording changed, and for it to not apply any time other than peace time. What exactly are they saying? That as long as our soldiers are off fighting / policing somewhere rape and violence is ok?
And let's not forget that even if 'we' weren't actively 'at war' with anyone, does 'the war on terrorism' count?
I haven't posted a comment on your blog, as I don't want to lower the tone intellectually (as it were), but when you're ready I'd like to (try) to link to it on Facebook as well.
Will you carry on posting here for ideas and views (if it's allowed)?

An explanation of Rape myths or a link to one would be useful. (sorry, cna't think of one off hand)

Yes, Twit, I'll definitely keep hassling posting on here for suggestions!
And please add a comment, if you like - of course you won't lower the tone.

I've already decided that comments that are misogynistic will be deleted. Ones that take issue in a reasonable way are fair enough.
What does everyone else think about that? I'm aware that there are likely to be disagreements posted, but I don't want the contamination of woman-hating crap on there, if I can help it.

WRT the UK's keenness to change the wording, it's an attempt to stop the UK having to get too involved in policing the agreement under treaty obligations etc. (according to DH, who's studied this sort of thing). It still sends out a shocking message, though.

Yep, slug, you're right and there is a good summary of rape myths on the Rape Crisis website which I will indeed link to.

I'm going to let the blog become a bit established and build up some material, then I will contact the other campaigns for some mutual linkage.

There was talk at some point about starting some kind of project where women could take a picture of themselves holding a piece of paper saying I believe you on it, maybe on a facebook page or something. I thought it sounded like a nice idea, to show support to survivors, something that goes against what they read in the press every bloody day. I don't know how hard it would be to organise, I am not too technical. I am thinking a facebook page wouldn't be that hard to set up though? Then people could just add their pictures to the wall or messages of support. Maybe it wouldn't have much impact though - what do you think?

I have links with the Pandora Project which does work to support survivors, it could be something that is done in assosiation with them perhaps. If it was easy to set up then I would be happy to work on that and it could be linked to the blog or something?

I think that's a great idea, neeps!

Even small impacts are an impact, eh?! And besides, it might really take off....

Yes, a FB page would be very simple to set up and I would happily contribute a pic or two holding up a placard for it...(DH too)

Feel free to go for it and I will happily link to it from the blog.
If you want me to do anything else, please say

I wish I could remember who had the origional idea, I don't want to step on any toes. I thought it was worth giving a go though.

Good work, Inmaculada - thought-provoking and well-written posts. I agree that removing misogynistic comments is a good idea - debate is one thing but battling against nasty comments (which this kind of thing will always attract) can take a lot of energy and detracts from your blog entries in a bad way. I love the photo idea too.

I just have one (small) criticism and that's about the colour scheme - personally, I find white on red quite harsh on the eyes and not so comfortable to read. But that's only a small point and probably won't bother most people.

Good luck with it!

Well done IC - I tried to comment and was completely unable to work it. It's probably my I-phone but thought you should be aware. :)

Thanks both!

Yes, I chose it because it is an angry colour scheme, but I think maybe I will tone it down a bit, I don't want to put the wrong people off!

I'll check the comments - I though I had enabled them, but maybe not...

It's probably me. I'm sure you're going to come back and say - 'you have commented, 15 times'

OK, I've changed colour scheme..let me know if you find this one too hard to handle!

Also, I've made sure anyone can comment (although the comments will be moderated first so I can filter out any abuse...)

Hopefully that will work better now...

Link if you can't be arsed to scroll back up...

Cool - works for me! I like how easy the links are to see as well.