Name and shame
Everyone's responsibility
The conviction rate for rape has fallen from one in three reported cases in 1977 to 6.5% in 2010. All survivors of sexual violence are up against entrenched institutional sexism from the legal, immigration and compensation authorities. We are disbelieved and treated disrespectfully throughout the legal process, including when:
• Evidence is not gathered or presented properly by the police or the Crown Prosecution Service – beginning with the woman’s statement to the police.
• Women are pressed to withdraw, or find their case was dropped.
• The victim never meets the person presenting her case;
• If the case ever reaches court the woman is put "on trial", and not defended by the prosecuting barrister;
• Rape cases are undermined by widespread sexism, racism and discrimination against women on the basis of occupation, sexual history, medical history or disability, nationality, immigration status, age, class, sexual orientation, relationship to the attacker, criminal record . . .
Rape has been in the media a lot recently because of the Worboys, Reid and Southwark cases. Because of our determined campaigning we were uniquely placed to comment and were able to speak out for all the women who come to us daily after their cases have been dismissed, undermined or sabotaged by the very authorities they had turned to for justice and protection.
It is a big step forward that the truth about how rape is deprioritised by the police and CPS is finally being acknowledged. The Southwark case is a direct result of our work as the mother involved is part of WAR. Because we refused to be fobbed off with excuses, we won an unusually damning report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) into the negligent and dysfunctional Sapphire Unit in Southwark, London, which had dealt with her daughter’s rape. We have publicised its findings. In a nutshell, vehicle crime was given a higher priority than rape. Since then, we have had a series of meetings with the heads of the police and prosecution service, and we intend to ensure that they implement their promises of change, so that more women and girls can get protection and justice.
I would like to explain
I would like to explain something.
I was raped, sexually assulted by my ex fiance. I pressed charges, the charges were dropped by the cps. I was torn inside by the man, there was a large patch of blood after the attack. I later had councilling and was told that the reason I bled was because my pelvis was not in the correct position to want to have sex so I therefore surley was raped. If I was to punch any one in the face and make their face bleed then I should be punished for that attack. Therefore why was my attacker not even punished for his attack from him inserting his penis into me thus causing me internal pain and bleeding. Are the courts and police and cps not in a situation in this day and age to even accuse my attacker of actual bodily harm. Are the courts not equipped enough to understand even a simple thing like that. Something in the law needs to be changed into the 21st century.