"Other myths are even more disturbing. The Amnesty poll found that a
third of Britons believed a woman acting flirtatiously was partly or
completely to blame for being raped, while over a quarter found women
who were wearing revealing clothes or were drunk shared responsibility.
This victim-blaming was echoed by a judge at Caernarfon Crown Court a
few weeks ago, who told the rapist: “She let herself down badly. She
consumed far too much alcohol and took drugs, but she also had the
misfortune of meeting you.” A Thames Valley Police poster combating
underage drinking featured a young woman being attacked underneath the
headline “Her mum bought her the cider”.
If we are to defeat rape, we have to understand where it comes from – and that means linking it to a broader continuum of violence against women. According to the Government’s own estimates, one million women in England and Wales are victims of domestic violence every year."
If we are to defeat rape, we have to understand where it comes from – and that means linking it to a broader continuum of violence against women. According to the Government’s own estimates, one million women in England and Wales are victims of domestic violence every year."
