Survey finds Rape Myths still persist in the UK

[IwantToRetire]

The response of 18-24-year-olds in upholding views based on false assumptions and misconceptions was particularly striking:

• Only half recognised that it can still be rape if a victim doesn’t resist or fight back (53% got this right)
• Less than half recognised victims may not immediately report to the police (43% got this right)
• Less than half recognised that being in a relationship or marriage does not mean consent to sex can be assumed (42% got this right, compared to 87% of people aged 65 and above)
• Less than half recognised that if a man has been drinking or taking drugs, he is still responsible if he rapes someone (46% got this right)
• Young people were also far less likely to understand that if a person says online they want to meet up and have sex, that doesn’t mean they have to have sex when they meet (28% of 18-24-year-olds got this right, compared to 54% of people overall)
• Overall, two thirds (62%) of respondents recognised that even if no physical force is involved a person might not be free and able to consent to sex; but this dropped to 40% when young people were asked, compared with 74% of over 65s.

^www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/more-do-tackle-rape-misconceptions-and-lack-understanding-consent-cps-survey-finds^

Imagine how much worse it'll be if the CPS ever tells us what it's gleaned from this, which was a set of offender-centric proposals. Sex offender heaven really:

www.cps.gov.uk/consultation/consultation-deception-gender-section-rape-and-serious-sexual-offences-rasso-legal

A cynic would think they've "forgotten" it until a change in government...

I wish I could say that this is surprising, but sadly it's not.

It's a man's world.

Imagine how much worse it'll be if the CPS ever tells us what it's gleaned from this, which was a set of offender-centric proposals. Sex offender heaven really:

I think "sex by deception" is not the same as the ignorance, or rather entrenched reactionary views to victims of rape, that this survey shows.

The men, particularly young men, haven't the first clue about recognising women as more than objects for their gratification.

How is it possible that in 2024, young people are still dont know what consent means.

Or maybe it is worse now, because in the past what may have been sniggered at behind closed doors, is now validated in the virtual world.

What do these people think rape is? Literally just a man grabbing a woman off the street?

Several recent surveys from more than one Western country are showing similar patterns where the youngest generations come across more sexist than the older ones and where the oldest generation of men is sometimes the least sexist of all men in the survey in their stated opinions.

I'm beginning to believe that this is an actual change and not that much of the sexism and misogyny wasn't expressed so openly before, though that may play a role as well, because the online world now also gives support to those expressions which in the past would have been ostracised in meatspace. And that makes them more likely to be expressed, in general.

I think "sex by deception" is not the same as the ignorance, or rather entrenched reactionary views to victims of rape, that this survey shows.

I agree. But I'm suspicious about the motives here, given that consultation has seemingly been parked. For 16 months.

I'm beginning to believe that this is an actual change and not that much of the sexism and misogyny wasn't expressed so openly before, though that may play a role as well, because the online world now also gives support to those expressions which in the past would have been ostracised in meatspace. And that makes them more likely to be expressed, in general.

Unfortunately very probably true.

When I see what young women experience at school, in the street and on the internet, is very, very depressing.

Has it got to the point, where even if parents tried to educate their sons, it wouldn't work because the internet has more status as a source of information?

I think it's pretty shocking that they don't report response by sex given the dichotomy between the sexes in their experience of sexual assault and rape.

Not sure if teaching sons and daughters at home would be enough, but it can't hurt to try.

The widespread consumption of pornography is a good candidate for explaining at least some of this change*. Even those young boys who don't consume it will be influenced by their mates who do. And it's hard to see how anyone could consume lots of the humiliation type porn and still see women and girls as completely equal human beings with men and boys.

*Shaving pubic hair came from porn, I have been told, and yet it spread rapidly outside it. Supposedly porn actors had the hair shaved so that the camera could observe things more closely.... This is not the same thing as losing respect for women and girls as human beings, but it shows the power of pornography.

And so does the way being choked in sex is now seen as something that women and girls want. It was not that many years ago that I read about erotic asphyxiation with only male examples given of those who were into it for themselves. Suddenly it's supposed to be a female kink.

This “the internet has more status as a source of information?”

We’ve given our kids unconditionally to adults from other countries with different social views via the Internet for 20 odd years now. The consequences are pretty clear, this report provides one very good example, the Internet has a higher status until our kids get to meet knowledgeable, professional and qualified adults.

I'll keep banging on about this but as someone who recently sat as jury on a rape case I was frankly disgusted at the awful views in that room. Seems if you find yourself in that situation you need to fight and scratch and hope for cctv... sadly not just the views of men

Having been seriously assaulted (not raped) I can state that I was so bliddy frightened that I could neither move (let alone fight back) nor call out for help/ scream.

My throat just closed up and I was as mute as a swan.

Edit - "nor", not "not"

but as someone who recently sat as jury on a rape case I was frankly disgusted at the awful views in that room

Many groups who support survivors of rape talk about how horrible the process is, getting the police to believe you, getting the CPS to take it to court (which they only do if they think it has a 90+% chance of being won) only to have the jury refuse to convict. And quite often it is the women on a jury.(*)

That is where the idea came up of having juryless trials and the other idea of briefing juries prior to a trial about rape to explain that quite often a woman will freeze.

(*) Does anyone remember that documentary about 3 women and the lengthy procedure of getting their case to court. And the one that seemed like an open and shut case, CCTV etc, the jury didn't convict.

Wouldn’t it be nice if schools spent more time in sex and relationships education, about emotions, love consent and respect.

Nooo lets talk about MTF/FTM peeps, non binaries, and gender woo instead.

Wouldn’t it be nice if schools spent more time in sex and relationships education, about emotions, love consent and respect.

We do. It's not getting through.

@HipTightOnions Do you invite in rape crisis womens aid services in for modules?

Or maybe it is worse now, because in the past what may have been sniggered at behind closed doors, is now validated in the virtual world.

I think this is it.

My DDs tell me that they do "the Consent thing" over and over again, multiple sessions every year, in PSHE. Apparently everybody finds it a snooze and nobody pays attention and nothing sinks in. Which includes my DDs, of course. I have tried very hard to emphasis how important it is, but talking to teenagers is a thankless task.

I also agree with everyone upthread who felt that this modern world is far more rigidly gendered and openly sexist than it was 20-30 years ago, when I was a teen/young woman (and like so many others, arrogantly confident that feminism had "won").

It's just so depressing.