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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Petition for jurors on rape trials to be given compulsory training on rape myths

21 replies

Alwaysinmyheart · 08/02/2018 13:55

This is what the petition says:

All jurors in rape trials to complete compulsory training about rape myths

Research shows that jurors accept commonly held rape myths resulting in many incorrect not guilty verdicts. Rapists are walking free from court, although evidence is robust. This ruins lives. Rape conviction in the UK is very low. Compared to other crimes conviction is 21% lower.

More details
Research by Rape Crisis & Alison Saunders, Director of Public Prosecutions, finds that jurors often accept rape myths & thus acquit rapists who are in fact guilty. 66% of jurors do not understand judges' legal directions which attempt to dispel rape myths, but fail. Jurors need proper rape myth training prior to & throughout trials. Info: rapecrisis.org.uk/mythsvsrealities.php en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_myth www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39182779

OP posts:

Original poster

Alwaysinmyheart · 08/02/2018 13:56

Here's the link to the petition. Please sign, it's already got over 4,000 signatures!

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/209573

OP posts:

RatRolyPoly · 08/02/2018 14:10

Great petition, I will certainly sign!

RatRolyPoly · 08/02/2018 14:13

Argh, not working! I'll try again later.

Destinysdaughter · 08/02/2018 19:58

Bump

Maryz · 08/02/2018 20:32

I think I'd rather like it if all lawyers (and judges) involved in rape trials were given compulsory education about rape myths.

I'm following a trial atm where the prosecution case is attacking the alleged victim in a totally unacceptable (in my view) way

niceandtoasty · 08/02/2018 22:31

Signed. Thanks for sharing.

SonicVersusGynaephobia · 09/02/2018 11:58

Signed and shared.

SundaysFunday · 09/02/2018 12:01

Signed

BlueSkyBurningBright · 09/02/2018 12:10

I was recently on the jury for a historic sexual assault case. Not a high profile one.

We were told by both the judge and the barristers about rape myths and that all victims respond differently and time of reporting is also different for everyone. This was repeated to us several times.

I will sign as it was important when considering the verdict.

Datun · 09/02/2018 12:10

Signed.

CarefullyDrawnMap · 09/02/2018 12:14

Signed

SonicVersusGynaephobia · 09/02/2018 12:17

And yes, Maryz, I'm following that too.

Forensic evidence showed that the victim had torn internally and was bleeding. She says after the rape she wiped the blood off herself with her underwear, but then just put her (white) jeans back on without her underwear first. The taxi driver who took her home after, when she was hysterical, could see blood on her jeans between her legs.

Defence brought out her clothes, not just the forensics photos of the clothes, but her actual blood stained clothes into open court. Showed her, the judge and jury the girl's thong and accused her of bleeding before the assault from her period.

Yes. Because women on their period frequently go out, not wearing any tampon/pad, wearing WHITE jeans, and trying to get laid.

I'm so, so, SO fucking mad.

CarefullyDrawnMap · 09/02/2018 12:24

Maryz, yes. I have recent, current experience of a senior person in the CPS saying along the lines of (I'm purposely being vague) what a victim looks like is relevant to an attack and helps explain it. I've complained. They ignore.

CarefullyDrawnMap · 09/02/2018 13:08

Actually now I'm fucking furious. How can Alison Saunders refuse to deal with the complaint I've made whilst also claiming to want to dispel rape myths. Fucking hypocrite.

Maryz · 09/02/2018 13:27

Sonic, I agree with every word.

I am so fucking furious.

How can anyone be, or live with, a prosecution lawyer who is happy to go along with the "anything we can do to prove innocence is ok, even if it dehumanises another person".

SonicVersusGynaephobia · 09/02/2018 14:35

I know Maryz, I keep thinking I could not be more raging about the whole thing, and then the next day in court happens.

I saw a journalist who does covers a lot of court cases, and has done a lot of rape trials, say they had never once seen Defence bring out the actual fucking underwear of a rape victim into open court. If it's relevant and the jury need to see it, it's photographs of it.

This was purely to shame the victim and play on the rape myths that anyone who goes out wearing a thong under their jeans can't be raped because they obviously wanted it.

again.

Datun · 09/02/2018 14:55

This was purely to shame the victim and play on the rape myths that anyone who goes out wearing a thong under their jeans can't be raped because they obviously wanted it.

I think I've missed something. Was someone suggesting that the wearing of a thong invited rape?

I don't know what the statistics are, but how many thongs are sold each year? Do, say, 10% of women have a pair?

Do three and a half million women deserve rape? Is the question I would have asked.

sourpatchkid · 09/02/2018 15:05

This is a brilliant idea, I can believe I didn't think to start this myself when I was a juror in a rape trail. I'm a senior mental health professional so they believed me when I could quote research and evidence but before that it was horrifying what they believed!

Signed.

RustyParker · 09/02/2018 15:09

Signed and shared

Situp · 09/02/2018 16:26

Signed

CorruptBunny · 09/02/2018 19:20

Signed

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