This morning, there was consternation among anti-rape campaigners when the attorney general, Dominic Grieve, was reported to have said that if "more difficult [rape] cases" are brought to court there will likely be more acquittals and a consequent fall in the conviction rate for rape.Why so? He’s merely stating the truth.
Our concern was how his comments might be understood – was he suggesting that difficult rape cases shouldn't be prosecuted?No-one sensible could read it like that. Only activists with a one-track mind and a desire to ensure that their ideology gets front-page attent…
Oh. Of course.
… this work has too often turned on a close examination of victim behaviour and credibility.Well, yes. Of course it has. Most of these cases happen in private, it’s a ‘he said, she said’ situation. But you know all this.
What can be implied by caution around bringing difficult cases is a belief that inevitably when the story is told in court, juries with prejudices will acquit. But, in fact, progress is being made here too. In court, there are specialist sexual violence prosecutors trained to argue the strongest possible case and to challenge the use of rape myths by the defence. Judges are accustomed to directing juries as to what is admissible and what the law says about rape and consent. But there is more to be done.*sigh* Of course. There always is, isn’t there?
We urgently need compulsory sex and relationships education in schools, which deals with consent, respect and equality, mirroring perhaps the excellent Home Office campaign aimed at teens, This is Abuse. In addition, we need to ensure there are specialist support services available to women and men who have suffered sexual violence when they seek help, and whether or not they report it to the police.And we have both of those things.
What are these two women really demanding? More of the same? Jobs for the girls?
One wonders what they will say about the advice on some 'Pick-up artist' blogs that a man should record the episode on his mobile phone so that he has defence against spurious rape allegations when it is no more than seductee's remorse for sleeping with the guy in the first place.
ReplyDeleteWe should video the whole episode from first contact to kicking them out because they may claim that they asked us to stop after we were done. That way we can show the jury the whole sorry affair.
ReplyDeleteThere are a multitude of mini cameras out there now and if it ensures that justice is done then it is worth it.
These whingy whiney men haters will only be happy when wimmen can phone up plod, tell them who the guy is and SO19 goes round and wastes him. Teach these guys a lesson for thinking they can have casual sex.
Bring on sex robots. The human race will disappear in two generations.
We urgently need compulsory sex ... in schools,
ReplyDeleteI'm good with that.
XX We urgently need compulsory sex and relationships education in schools,XX
ReplyDeleteSo the 13 to 16 year olds can sit giggling at the back of the room, as they have for GENERATIONS when the biology teacher tells them how rabbits shag?
Where these bastards NEVER at school? Or was it so long back, that Calligula got in the way?
I have to be careful about contempt but, there once might have been a juror in a rape trial. In this "imaginary" trial, the jury consisted of seven women and five men. After hearing all the evidence and considering a verdict, the men all thought the accused guilty, but none of the women did. Eventually three of the men had their minds changed so they could go home after bringing in a majority verdict. If you want more rape convictions, bring in all male juries.
ReplyDeleteXX Eventually three of the men had their minds changed so they could go home XX
ReplyDeleteHardly a reccomendation for the Jury system, is it?
"I wanna go home, find him guilty/innocent, no matter what, so long as it is quick!"
FT, I don't suppose that it was the first time that weak-willed members of the jury have had their minds changed for them. The jury system doesn't always work, but like democracy, it's the least worst.
ReplyDelete'We urgently need compulsory sex and relationships education in schools...'
ReplyDeleteOnly if there's still for lessons on Climate Change, Homosexual Studies and Free Palestine (sic) Now!
The problem for Feminists is that they believe a) All Men Are Rapists and b) Women Don't Lie. Therefore the low (actually average for serious crimes) conviction rate does not sit well with their ideology. Thus they demand that reality is changed to fit better with their Ideology.
ReplyDelete"One wonders what they will say about the advice on some 'Pick-up artist' blogs that a man should record the episode on his mobile phone..."
ReplyDeleteQuite!
"Hardly a reccomendation for the Jury system, is it?"
I'm pleased to say that was never an issue with the two I sat on!
"Only if there's still for lessons on Climate Change, Homosexual Studies and Free Palestine (sic) Now!"
There's no wonder we seemingly don't have time to teach the three Rs, eh?