Another "email" in the ragey haze

[ailbhe]

This one to the Thames Valley Police, sent through their website

I just walked down the Oxford Road in Reading and saw two posters, one in the window of the TVP office and one in a community notice board, both saying "RAPE let your hair down not your guard." I suggest that a more honest campaign would say "RAPE even the police think it's your own fault," or "RAPE it's up to you to avoid all men especially in your own home." I know rape awareness campaigns will never target perpetrators, nor their friends, nor the behaviours which enables rape culture to thrive, but I'm very tired of seeing women continuously held responsible for the actions of their attackers.

Regards,

Ailbhe Leamy

Comments

[trinker.livejournal.com]

Wild applause.

[juliet]

*applause*

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Perhaps people should start printing it out at poster size, laminating it, and hanging it over the useless ones.

[ailbhe]

I've been glad I don't carry a marker in my handbag, lately. I keep being strongly tempted to alter posters...

[annifa.livejournal.com]

When I met the community constable about this very sort of advice, she said any campaign to target perpetrators would cause so much brouhaha it wasn't worth doing. apparently, it's ok to tell women they're responsible for not getting raped, but telling men to not rape is beyond the pale.

Good on you for writing to them. x

[the-changeling.livejournal.com]

Strange that Scotland manages it then, and civilisation hasn't fallen.

[alicephilippa.livejournal.com]

*applause*

Sadly though, I doubt you'll get much of a positive response. :(

I left a male "friend" standing somewhat shocked the other day when the usual rape apologism started by saying "It's not the fault of what we wear or do. It's the fault of men who can't keep their cock in their pants."

[rosefox]

Brava!

[da-pol.livejournal.com]

Thing is, awareness isn't the issue. At all. There's no lack of awareness of the issue, and no posters at all wouldn't reduce the overall awareness.

Marketing at offenders rarely works - criminals commit crimes, it's sort of self defining - advertising at them saying "That's bad, 'mkay?" is really a waste of time - rape isn't an edge case where they might not be aware that what they're doing is wrong - they will be damn well aware.

"Rape Awareness" campaigns always seem like an exercise in the authorities getting to feel good because they've "done something and been seen to have done something about the issue"

Less marketing, more investigation, more policework, more conviction. Could even divert the marketing budget to frontline policing.

[ailbhe]

I think there's space for an education campaign around teaching men not to tolerate their friends being rapey (rape jokes, objectifying women, minor sexual assault such as groping people "for a laugh").

[da-pol.livejournal.com]

This I'll agree with 100% - education != awareness, and this form of education is probably the one that would make a difference.

[piqueen.livejournal.com]

Like this http://www.mencanstoprape.org/info-url2698/info-url.htm

[hopeforyou.livejournal.com]

Yes. This.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

*applauds wholeheartedly*

[biascut.livejournal.com]

Hm, on the faded of it, that one bothers me less than some, since being aware of your surroundings is one of the things that actually does make you less vulnerable. It's just that victim-blaming immediately decreases women's ability to have confidence in their own instincts and to act on them.

[redshira.livejournal.com]

Concise. Accurate. Clearly angry without going off on one. Admirably done.

[khitomer.livejournal.com]

Brilliant! Well done you!

Have you heard of the SlutWalks? They began in Canada after a policeman in Toronto, I believe, made comments about women avoiding dressing like 'sluts' to avoid being raped.

Now they've spread all around the world, women (and men) wearing skimpy clothing and marching in protest at this wrongheaded attitude.

There was one in Manchester last night. I only found about it on the day or I would have considered joining it.

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

good for you! let's hope someone pays attention

[sierra-le-oli.livejournal.com]

Good for you!