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Three decades ago, when it was
still legal for a man to rape his wife, Women Against Rape,
just formed, announced a rape trial with a difference: women
were putting the government and its criminal justice system
on trial for condoning and even encouraging rape.
Most
people now support women’s right to say NO under any
circumstance and at any point, and to get justice when that
NO is ignored. Yet, the conviction rate for recorded rape
is down to 5.7%. So once again we are putting the
authorities on trial for persistently “letting rapists off
the hook,” which denies women and girls justice and makes us
all vulnerable.
Those in charge of justice
still often hold women responsible for rape and sexual
assault. It used to be short skirts and hitch-hiking that
were to blame. Now it’s having too much to drink or having
more than one partner or, as always, trusting the wrong man.
The truth is that just being a woman – or a girl – in the
wrong place at the wrong time is often enough to condemn us
to rape.
But we have fought back.
Increasingly women have reported rape and sexual assault,
even when it was frightening, embarrassing and dangerous to
do so, and even when the police didn’t want to know. We
reported rape not only by strangers but by dates, husbands,
partners, fathers, step-fathers, uncles, brothers,
babysitters, employers, immigration officers, teachers,
lecturers, carers, police, soldiers . . . And we have
fought to defend our children even more than ourselves.
For 30 years, with little or
no funding, Women Against Rape has been backing women and
spearheading their demands for justice, by:
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Speaking out against the
authorities which don’t investigate, lose the evidence,
misrepresent us, attack our character and conduct,
accuse us of lying, put us on trial and even in prison.
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Invading courts and
private clubs where some of the most sexist judges hang
out.
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Pressing for changes in
the law, the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, the
courts, the compensation system, and demanding that
police or prosecutors who won’t do their jobs against
rapists must be sacked.
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Winning legislation which
recognises rape in marriage as a crime, and sets at
least some (though not enough) limits on raising women’s
sexual history in court.
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Fighting for rape
survivors not to be detained, left destitute, or have
our children torn from us, and to be granted the right
to asylum.
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Winning a private
prosecution against a serial rapist after the CPS
refused to prosecute – a test case that exposed the CPS.
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Forcing the police and CPS
to arrest and prosecute the white attacker of a Black
Muslim mother; he was found guilty – another test case
that exposed police inaction.
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Winning compensation for
many rape victims after they had been turned down.
BUT MOST RAPISTS STILL GET AWAY WITH IT!
What is the point of
recommendations, complaints and appeals procedures,
specialist police, prosecutors and judges, inspectorates,
women in government, and more laws if those in charge of
implementing them refuse over and over to do their job?
WE WANT THOSE IN CHARGE OF JUSTICE TO BE HELD TO ACCOUNT!
Have your
say
on 16 February 2008.
Testify about your experience of dealing with sexual,
domestic and other violence, what you did to try to get
protection and justice and what response you got from each
of the authorities. Male survivors of sexual violence are
also welcome.
We will have dark glasses,
masks and screens for anyone who wants to disguise their
identity. |